Black as Blood
by Kirishtu
Summary: Three years, broken hearts, broken friendships. After a horrible accident, Sasuke returns to Konoha. There's no warm welcome here, and now Sasuke must rebuild what he has broken. And Naruto's trust is the key.
1. Chapter 1

Originally posted on aff 2006-08-26 - 2007-04-09

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to Kishimoto-sensei. I am merely the tool through which the music flows. For those who have read Shattered Glass and/or Silk, Black as Blood does NOT take place in the same time or universe. Imagine a bubble, and inside that's where this world exists. Enjoy.

I.

In the Land of Fire, rain was a rarity. Cold air came down from the Land of Snow and mixed with the warm air from the sea, and dark clouds rose over the trees to release the droplets onto the leaves and the forest ground below. Sometimes the rain brought lightning and thunder, illuminating the streets of Konoha with the bright yellow, and sometimes blue, light before shattering the silence with a loud boom of sound. It was nights like these that frightened him the most. He wasn't sure why his feet had led him back here, had led him back to the village he'd abandoned in his quest for power. He hadn't wanted to come back, and he wasn't sure if he'd be accepted back, anyway. He was officially a missing nin, and he had nearly killed several ninja from this place. He wasn't sure if he'd be nearly killed back, or if he would be killed on sight. So he stood out in the rain in the shadow of a tree trunk, out of the line of vision of those guarding the large gates that protected the village within. He had to be prepared to die. He was unarmed, defenseless, and his chakra was nearly depleted from healing his numerous wounds.

He wished he could go back and travel around with his brother, but the pair didn't need a third member, and they couldn't be bothered to babysit. They'd healed his wounds, most of them, anyway, but even Itachi could do nothing for the scar that started at the left center on his forehead and went down across his eye and ended just above his jugular. That wound had rendered his left eye useless, the Sharingan forever trapped beneath the lid and scar tissue that was still pink and raw. That was why Orochimaru had let him go. What good was he as a vessel if only one eye worked? He must have wandered for weeks before coming upon the campsite of his brother and Kisame. He'd fallen at their feet, and hadn't been able to get back up. He'd passed out just after Kisame had knelt beside him to make sure he was still alive.

He'd woken to find Itachi hovering over him, helping him sit up and then feed him broth. They'd moved to an inn in the Tea Country if only to hide Sasuke, and Itachi had stayed up to watch over his little brother. Sasuke had been out for two weeks, Itachi had said. It was the first time in a long time he'd heard Itachi speak to him in a tone that wasn't threatening.

"Who hurt you so badly?" Itachi had asked softly, brushing dark strands of Sasuke's hair away from the wound. Sasuke hadn't said a word, but Itachi seemed to know anyway, sanguine eyes narrowing and looking over at his shark-like partner. Kisame had only shook his head.

He had stayed with his brother and the shark-nin for a few more days, during that time learning why his brother had killed their family, and watching the pain flash over his brother's face when he revealed the part of the story that seemed to cause him the most pain. And Sasuke understood now why his brother had destroyed the clan, and had lost the desire for revenge. He'd spent the last few hours staring at the bottom of his right foot, and had left the inn, just a few moments after the Akatsuki pair.

"Go home," Kisame had told him.

And now here Sasuke stood, looking up at the ninja who patrolled the gate, their silhouettes illuminated by lightning flashes. He watched them, and wondered if any of the elder ninja in the village knew the Uchiha clan secret. He doubted it, except for those who were dead. But then, the dead don't talk, do they? Sasuke shivered, remembering Itachi's story, remembering the panicked pain he felt that night the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. The panic and pain hadn't been his own, and now he knew.

He knew that Kyuubi's attack was the fault of his parents.

He knew that his clan had angered the fox.

He knew that in his body, there was a lesser biju that only Itachi and now himself, knew about.

He knew why Itachi had destroyed their family, but had left him alive.

White Ice hummed in his mind, comforting his vessel. Sasuke shushed him, and White Ice, self-named Shiro, settled again.

He was shivering, and he couldn't feel his fingertips anymore. Sasuke moved then, moving slowly toward the gate. He didn't even get to touch the door before he was surrounded, faces he recognized looking startled and faces he didn't looking confused. Sasuke tilted his head to stare up into familiar blue eyes framed by blonde hair, shock soon being replaced by wariness and anger.

"Sasuke." Naruto said in a hiss, gesturing for irons to be brought. A chuunin brought the asked for item, and Naruto stepped closer to Sasuke, snapping the manacles around thin wrists, not being too gentle about securing the metal around Sasuke's wrists. Sasuke said nothing, did nothing, just let himself be manipulated. He was too tired to care, too tired to fight back. Naruto, Neji, and Rock Lee had nothing to worry about from him. Together, those three could destroy him without even thinking about it.

"What are we going to do with him?" Rock Lee asked, taking hold of Sasuke's right arm as Neji came up on his blind side, taking his left arm.

"We'll take him to Ibiki," Naruto said finally, pushing open the gates, pulling Sasuke inside Konoha, the three jounin shoving and pulling their captive through the puddles in the street, and after a moment, a blindfold went over Sasuke's working eye, rendering him disoriented. He fell, arms jerking on the metal, cutting into his wrists. He was only jerked to his feet, and he expected the violence. He expected to be treated roughly. He expected to be shoved, thrown, beaten. The voices died away with the thunder, and he barely heard a door opening. He felt a change in atmosphere, change in the ground, and silence. No one was speaking, and Sasuke was terribly disoriented. He was frightened. He felt his escorts leaving, except for one. That familiar scent, that familiar presence, was still beside him, holding onto his upper arm now, leading him into a cell, it felt like. The blind was removed, and Sasuke found himself staring up at Naruto and several other people in ANBU masks. He was bound to a chair, unable to move. He recognized Ibiki by his coat, but other than Naruto, who wore no mask, he couldn't see anyone else. The only light was on him, illuminating him for everyone in the room to see.

Thunder crashed, and Sasuke's world grew a little bit smaller.

Naruto was his focus. He could hear Ibiki talking to him, but he couldn't understand. He was focused on that blonde young man, the vessel of Kyuubi, his former teammate. Shiro wanted to make contact, but Sasuke didn't have the energy. He just watched Naruto, and was watched back.

Thunder crashed and Sasuke smiled tiredly at Naruto.

Naruto stared back, face unchanging. He wouldn't make a face, wouldn't grin like he used to. Not for Sasuke. Never for Sasuke. So Sasuke thought.

Thunder crashed.

Naruto moved forward, but Sasuke had already passed out, leaving the blonde cradling his former teammate's head against his chest, fingers tangled in wet, dirty, brown strands of hair that were longer than he remembered. Naruto stared at Sasuke, and lightning illuminated them to the eyes of the ANBU in the room.

Thunder crashed, and Naruto believed he could hear that pained scream from his exhausted friend.


	2. Chapter 2

II.

Sasuke remained asleep for the better part of three days. Naruto watched him from behind a glass wall, watching doctors and nurses tend to his former friend. He watched as old clothes were taken off of Sasuke's body, revealing scars and marks that he'd never seen before, even when they clashed those scant few times before now. What made Naruto shiver each time he saw Sasuke lying there amidst bleached white blankets and sterile machines was that huge, disfiguring scar on the left side of his face. It started near the center of his forehead and curved left, making a jagged line down over the brunette's eye socket, and ending just above his jugular vein. Any lower, and Sasuke would've bled to death, and then where would Orochimaru be?

Right, Orochimaru.

Tsunade had come down earlier that day to test if the former Sannin was within the Uchiha boy. There had been no reaction to whatever she had done, but she still had the doctors to tie Sasuke down to the bed and keep him sedated until such time as deemed healthy enough to withstand questioning. Which, Naruto knew, meant torture. Sasuke had done many things, many horrible things, but he didn't deserve torture. But then, who was Naruto to argue? When Sasuke had shown up, he'd been right there to clap irons on him and drag him none too gently through ankle-deep puddles and slippery streets. Sasuke's twisted ankle had probably come from that treatment. Naruto felt that pang of regret, but only for an instant. Sasuke had left them, he'd nearly killed them, and he'd fought against them when they had only wanted to bring him home.

Naruto wasn't sure he'd ever trust Sasuke again, no matter how many ramen bowls he was bribed with. Sasuke was a traitor, and he would always be a traitor. Even if, somehow, Sasuke managed to become a Konoha ninja again, Naruto would never turn his back on him. He wouldn't even trust him with a simple task, like cleaning the bathhouse or something. Sasuke was evil, and Naruto hated evil, and thus by default Naruto hated Sasuke. But for some reason, Naruto couldn't leave the window that peered into Sasuke's hospital room, to watch that pale, scarred chest rise and fall with even breath. It was only by some miracle that Sakura had been able to pull him away long enough to join the former Team Kakashi in Tsunade's office.

The Godaime sat in silence for a long time, staring at the file on her desk. Everything about Uchiha Sasuke was in there, from birth documentation to the examination that had taken place when he'd been admitted to the hospital. Everything with him was working beautifully, except for his left eye. Even if the doctors cut away the scar tissue to allow him free movement of that eyelid, he would be forever blind in that eye. Whatever had happened had crushed the retina, destroyed the cornea, and rendered the lens non-existent. The doctors hadn't even had the heart to cut the scar tissue away to remove the useless orb, so unless a dire medical emergency arose out of it, that ball of destroyed eye-parts would remain in the socket until the day he died.

It was a shame, really. Sasuke had been promising, even as a traitor, and now, what good was he as a ninja? Tsunade knew that Sasuke could be an excellent jounin if he'd put through the effort, even with his disability. But it wasn't Sasuke she'd have trouble with. It was the Council, those old men and women who sat around and talked about 'important matters' all day that Tsunade would have trouble with. They didn't know of Sasuke's existence in Konoha yet, but when they did find out, that's where the trouble would be. If they called for Sasuke to be bred and then killed, Tsunade would have to do that, or find a loophole. And loopholes were very scarce, in her opinion. Which left her one choice, and that was to appoint someone from his former team as his caretaker. Sakura was definitely out because she still had medical training to attend to. Kakashi was out because he was a jounin, and he was needed to help instruct new genin and jounin training to be ANBU. Which left Naruto.

"I'm sure you all know why you've been called here?" Tsunade asked quietly, steepling her fingers before her mouth and staring at each shinobi before her in turn. Each ninja nodded, watching their village leader behind her desk.

"It's about Sasuke, isn't it?" Sakura asked, folding her hands in front of her, looking down at her feet when her teacher nodded.

"What about him? He's just gonna go to prison." Naruto said harshly, folding his arms over his chest. Sakura glared at him for a moment, but Naruto didn't back down. Sasuke deserved to be in prison. He deserved whatever was coming to him.

"He isn't going to prison," Tsunade said, almost exasperated. "And he isn't going to be executed. Not if I can help it, anyway."

"We wouldn't let Sasuke be executed," Kakashi spoke with a certain finality, and Tsunade was quite aware that Kakashi would start a war to save the boy's life. She only prayed it didn't come to that, as she knew quite a number of lives would be lost in the ensuing battle.

"No, we won't." Tsunade agreed. "This is why the three of you are here. You know Sasuke best, and he would feel comfortable with you. And Naruto, you may not like it, but I need you to take Sasuke into your home and take care of him."

Naruto stood speechless, staring at the Hokage as if she'd grown a whole new head.

"_Me_?" he nearly screeched.

Tsunade only nodded. "He would connect more with you. Sakura has training and she won't be around much to make sure Sasuke was behaving himself. The same applies to Kakashi. Essentially, you are the only one who can do this."

"But I hate him!"

"Then think of it as a mission. It will be A rank, and you'll get paid for it. It'll be a personal request from myself," Tsunade said, reaching for a pen and official mission request forms, filling it out as she spoke. "All you have to do is make sure Sasuke follows the rules we set out for him, that he's fed and sheltered, and that he takes any prescribed medication he may be given. He has some serious infections, and the antibiotics will help."

Naruto forced himself to nod, and reached out to put his fingerprint on the parchment, glaring at the mission scroll. He was going to get paid at least. Something to look forward to when Sasuke was finally taken off his hands.

"When does this start?"

"As soon as Sasuke wakes up. Sakura-chan, please go with Shizune to the hospital. Kakashi, please act as Sasuke's escort when he wakes. As much as I think any ninja could handle that, I want Sasuke to be comfortable."

"Shall do." Kakashi replied and vanished in a puff of smoke. Sakura bowed to her teacher and went to find Tsunade's assistant, following the older woman out of the tower to the hospital to watch over her former friend. Soon, only Naruto and Tsunade remained in the office, the older woman gazing at the vessel of the Kyuubi.

"What's wrong, Naruto?"

"I don't trust Sasuke."

"I'm not asking you to trust him. I'm asking you to watch over him. It's not charity. It's a mission. Anything I ask of you concerning him will be a mission. And as such, I expect you to complete them as you would any other mission you're given."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade nodded, and dismissed the blonde jounin, watching his retreating back before she sat back in her chair, rubbing her forehead. She almost hoped Sasuke would never wake, simply to spare the boy the inquisition and the subsequent mental agony that would come with trying to assimilate himself back into society. However, she was eventually asked to come to the hospital, and as she walked down from her office, she found she was actually dreading this part more than she had thought she would.

Sasuke had woken.

And he was already suffering.


	3. Chapter 3

III.

Sasuke understood hospitals. He'd sent people there himself, by his own strength or with the help of his teammates. He'd been in there himself, during the chuunin exams and countless other times before. He'd gotten used to the sterile smell and the whiteness, and he stared at the blanket covering his legs, picking out individual fibers and tracing them as far as he could go. He was alone, the doctors having rushed out when he had so much had looked at them for too long. One quivering nurse had tried to sedate him, but his chakra had returned, and with his metabolism functioning properly, the sedative had been broken down too fast for it to take effect. He heard the door open, and expected Ibiki. The man had promised he would return after all. But it wasn't the inquisitor that had come through the door separating him from the outside world; it was the Hokage, the woman moving to his side to examine his wounds.

Sasuke gave no resistance, and Tsunade wondered if that was because he knew of his predicament or he was still exhausted. He tensed as her fingers drew closer to his neck and face, and she watched his working eye close, as if by blocking her from his sight would make her touches non-existent. She took that opportunity to gesture Kakashi and Might Gai into the room, instructing them to be as silent as possible.

"Sasuke, I need to check your eye. Will you let me?" she asked the boy, gauging his reaction to her proximity to his face.

"Get away from me," Sasuke hissed, drawing up a little, baring his teeth in Gai's direction. Tsunade had the two jounin back up, and she watched Sasuke relax.

"I won't let them touch you, Sasuke. They're just here to protect me."

"Protect you from me." Sasuke said bitterly, and he opened his eye, staring right at the Hokage. "I'm not stupid."

"We never said you were Sasuke," Kakashi replied, hands on his hips, trying to put on a friendly air, but that only made the boy tense more.

"You didn't come in with her. You came in after she started prodding at me. It's my eye that doesn't work, not my ears."

Kakashi seemed to wince a bit at that, and rubbed the back of his skull nervously. Tsunade understood all too well. They had no idea of knowing what level Sasuke was, or what happened during his time training with Orochimaru. If he had heard Kakashi and Gai enter the room when they were being stealthy, what else could he hear? The flow of blood beneath skin? The dull thumping of a pulse in a throat? Sasuke watched them, and looked away as he fought a yawn.

Tsunade wondered if Sasuke wasn't completely ready to be conscious yet.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. It's my fault. I shouldn't have done that to you."

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't blame you. You shouldn't trust me."

Tsunade was taken aback a little by that statement, before nodding, seeing the truth in the boy's words. She had no reason to trust him, despite the fact he was allowing her close. And as powerful as Tsunade was, even she wouldn't be able to withstand any abilities Sasuke might have acquired with the Sharingan, and even if Sasuke tried to hurt her in any way, there were two jounin in the room, and several more right outside. Sasuke looked toward her then, and then away again, fingers curling in the blanket over his legs, knuckles beginning to turn white. When Tsunade finally gained access to the boy's facial scar, she noticed his knuckles were bone-white, the blanket starting to turn crimson with blood the longer Tsunade held his face. His nails were cutting into his palms through the blanket, and Tsunade knew when to back off.

"You're fine enough. But I want you to take some medicine, and you're going to be under the care of Ibiki for a few hours." Tsunade explained, as she gestured the two elder jounin out of the boy's room. "Please answer him truthfully Sasuke."

The boy nodded, and Tsunade gestured Sakura into the room to bandage the Uchiha's hands, the pink haired girl trying to gaze at her former friend's face. Sasuke had closed his eye, and apparently was ignoring her. The kunoichi left, discouraged, and Naruto glared at the other boy through the glass separating him from Sasuke. If he had been allowed in the room, he would've been on Sasuke in a flash, hands wrapped around his throat, squeezing the life out of him. Mission or not, Sasuke didn't have the right to treat Sakura, or Tsunade, like that. But Naruto followed Kakashi when the silver haired jounin pulled him away from the window, leaving Ibiki and two ANBU to enter the room freely.

Sasuke didn't open his eye, aware of who entered the hospital room because of the scents that filtered into the air. They were muted, however, only because he and Shiro weren't working in tandem as they'd learned to do, Shiro hiding behind his seal, curled up in the back of his mind and watching through exhausted icy black eyes. He only opened his eye to stare at the inquisitor when the larger man's hand nearly hit his cheek.

Apparently, the Hokage had given them free reign of the proceedings of this interview.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Ibiki began, drawing his hand back to clasp his hands behind his back, staring down the boy on the bed, "You left Konoha to join Oto. You became a missing nin. Why have you returned? Surely you know we retain the right to have you executed."

"I came home." Sasuke replied simply, smirking a little bit. "And if you wanted to kill me, you wouldn't be talking about it."

"Why did you return?" Ibiki asked again.

"Because there's no where else for me to go,"

Ibiki paused, watching the boy. Sasuke's shoulders had slumped from the proud position they had held before he had entered the room, and his head was bowed, strands of hair falling in front of his face. Ibiki had seen a lot of defeated men in his time, especially as Konoha's inquisitor. But no man or woman had ever exuded the sense of utter hopelessness that Sasuke seemed to, the boy fully expecting to die, no matter what answers Ibiki received from him.

"And you chose Konoha, where there are many places that a missing nin such as yourself could hide. Why?"

"What better place to hide than among those who are looking for you?" Sasuke replied. "I came home."

"And what is here that is home for you? You no longer are the inheritor to your family's assets. You can no longer step foot in your family's house. You are homeless, without family, without friends. You know we cannot trust you, and yet here you are."

"Home isn't about having a roof over your head, or money. It isn't about family or friends." Sasuke said bitterly. "Home is about feeling safe. It's safe here. Because I know how Tsunade thinks. I know Kakashi. They will not allow any harm to come to me. _That_ is why I am here. Trusting me is a choice left for everyone else to make. I can't make it for them."

"Then what do you hope for?" Ibiki asked, watching the boy, signaling the ANBU to back out of the room, giving Sasuke that trust he seemed to desperately want. Looking nervous, the ANBU complied, but stood near the window, watching the pair within the room.

"I want peace." Sasuke answered. "I hope I can live a normal life. But that will never happen. You know that. I'm forever a traitor."

"But traitors can be redeemed." Ibiki muttered under his breath, not knowing Sasuke could hear him clearly. "I have one final question for you, Sasuke."

"What is it?"

"What would you do to stay in Konoha?"

"What, does my being here depend on what I say?"

"Just answer the damn question."

Sasuke looked up at the inquisitor, wearing an expression that could be construed as glaring. Ibiki noticed the boy's chest was completely still, as though he was holding his breath. Ibiki relaxed only slightly when he saw the barest movement from the boy, waiting for his answer.

What would Sasuke do? He certainly wouldn't demean himself by letting everyone in Konoha do what they pleased to him. He wasn't _that_ desperate. But he would do menial tasks, no matter how horrible they were. He would never be trusted with Konoha's youth, but maybe cleaning up after them. He frowned. He really wasn't sure what he'd do.

"I don't know." The Uchiha said finally, looking off toward the window that allowed others to see into his room, but didn't let him see out. "Probably... whatever was asked of me, within reason, of course."

Ibiki nodded, and moved toward the room's exit. "Get your rest, Sasuke. Tomorrow, your ordeal will begin, whether you're ready or not."

"You make it sound like some kind fairytale."

"Go to sleep."

"Yes, mom."

Ibiki shook his head and curbed the urge to utterly destroy the boy, and settled for hitting him over the head. After he made sure Sasuke was truly unconscious and not faking, he pulled the blankets over the boy's shoulders and left him, sighing as he left to go make his report to the Hokage.

He had a feeling life was going to get harder from here on out.


	4. Chapter 4

IV.

Naruto waited outside the hospital for his charge, glaring at the darker as Sasuke finally made his way out of the building. Sasuke inclined his head a little bit upon seeing the blonde, and Naruto slipped around to his blind side, lashing out to smack Sasuke's face. Sasuke's reaction time was delayed, but he still managed to block the smack, just barely before Naruto's fingertips touched his skin. Naruto glared at his charge, and narrowed his eyes at Sasuke even as the other boy stared back.

"Come on."

"What, no hello? No, 'Sasuke, it's nice to see you'?"

"I could care less about you." Naruto bit out, glaring at the elder boy as they walked away from the hospital toward the jounin bachelor apartment complex.

"You wound me," Sasuke whispered, watching the orange back of the blonde. Naruto made a noise that Sasuke took to mean he didn't care either way.

"Whatever. Tsunade-baa-chan's said you're gonna live with me. As much as I hate it, she really only trusts Kakashi and Sakura. But Sakura's a girl and Kakashi's too busy."

"You talk as though providing me shelter is a curse."

"I don't like you." Naruto paused outside his door, turning to face the shorter boy, rather enjoying the few inches of height he had on his former rival. "I'm doing this just to make people happy."

"Very willing of you." Sasuke replied, keeping his eye centered on those blue orbs, carefully keeping his own face stoic, keeping the hunter from sensing his weakness.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get in."

Naruto opened the door for the brunette, letting Sasuke get used to the new surroundings, standing in the front foyer until Sasuke was used to the place, moving up on his blind side and pushing past him, feeling that pang of regret again as Sasuke jumped when he felt Naruto brush by. He quickly buried that feeling under his stronger feelings of resentment and hate, moving to set up a nest of blankets on the couch for the darker.

"You're gonna stay in here the most of the time. You can't go anywhere without an escort. You can't touch anything here. You don't ever go into my room." Naruto disappeared to get a pillow from his bed, dropping it into the brunette's hands as he passed by, heading back out toward the foyer. "If you're hungry, you'll starve until I come home."

"How… kind."

Naruto snorted and left Sasuke alone, slamming the door as he left, locking it as an afterthought. Sasuke stared at the closed portal as if it would attack him if he turned his back to it, before finally moving to curl up on the couch. He pressed his face into the pillow that smelled like the obnoxious blonde and screamed into the cushion. Frustration built up inside of him, partly his own, mostly Shiro's. The ookami was pacing in his head, wanting to be free, wanting to be with Kyuubi. As much as Sasuke wanted to let the ookami have his way, freeing the demon inside of him was most likely going to be frowned upon in the village. And considering only his family seemed to know of the creature, panic would ensue and he'd lose his head for sure. His stomach tightened as he pushed himself up, and he moved to the bathroom, expecting to throw up. The nausea faded about halfway to the bathroom, and he leaned against the wall, hands covering his face as he groaned.

Living with Naruto was going to kill him, if the Council didn't decide to off him first. He trusted no one but himself and Shiro at this point, and he'd made a habit of not trusting anything except what his senses and Shiro told him. Weapons could always turn against you, even a trusted shuriken or kunai. Friends could turn against you, and Sasuke was breathing proof of that. He'd given up everything for power, power he could no longer obtain, no longer needed. Sasuke moved back to the couch and curled up, pulling the blanket over his head to hide in the darkness. He closed his eye and tried to nap.

He kept his body relaxed beneath the blankets, even though he was wide-awake. Someone was in this room with him, someone besides Shiro. Naruto had locked the door, and probably the windows as well, but in a village full of ninja, what was the point of that? If someone wanted in, they were going to get in. Sasuke had no weapons with which to defend himself, but that would prove no problem. In his time with Orochimaru, and on his own, he had learned how to kill without weapons. He felt the presence come closer, felt Shiro reach out to try and determine what it was, to relay the information back to his vessel. There was nothing but blankness, and Sasuke understood.

This was an ANBU.

The ANBU ninja reached for the blanket, but Sasuke proved faster. He threw the blanket onto the masked ninja's head and slipped off the couch, moving like a shadow behind it. He felt rather than heard the blanket being thrown down, torn away from that covered face. He felt the ANBU's confusion. Plans began to formulate in his head. He had no way of knowing if this ninja was ally or foe, or had a hankering for revenge. Escape routes made themselves clear to him, and he heard the ANBU circling the couch. If this was a test, Sasuke was going to kill the test-maker. He felt the ANBU on his left and bolted right, down the hallway to Naruto's bedroom. He cut left into an unoccupied room and raced for the window. The ANBU chased him, right up until Sasuke flung himself through the glass, shards of it embedding in his skin. He felt himself falling and rolled accordingly, landing on his feet on the street below. He didn't bother to look back.

"Find Naruto." Sasuke whispered to Shiro, the ookami lending the boy his heightened sense of smell. Sasuke moved like a shadow, keeping to the crowded streets rather than the rooftops, trying to blend in without being seen. He caught Naruto's scent by the academy, but a quick check proved Naruto was no longer there. Sasuke kept moving, kept following that scent, and paused at Ichiraku. There. That stupid orange tracksuit beside two pairs of black-clad legs. Sasuke figured those legs were probably Kakashi or Iruka, but took the chance anyway. He went in, looking a lot more confident than he felt.

"Hello there, Sasuke." Kakashi said, turning around to smile at the dark-haired youth, but paused when he saw the shining shards of glass and trickles of blood on that pale skin. "What the hell happened to you?"

"ANBU." Sasuke said simply and moved to sit beside his supposed-caretaker, pulling shards of glass from his skin with little ceremony. Kakashi seemed to watch in numbness, while Iruka looked on in abject horror. Naruto didn't look at Sasuke.

"Sasuke, don't do that!" Iruka moved to get a towel and a bowl of hot water from Ayame and moved to help Sasuke remove the glass shards from his flesh. Naruto finally looked up at Sasuke, and felt that pity growing in his stomach again. Sasuke's eye was blank as he watched Iruka pull shards gingerly from that pale flesh, dropping the glass pieces on a plate poor Ayame put on the counter.

"An ANBU attacked you?" Kakashi finally asked, looking at Naruto as he said it, head tilting. Sasuke nodded wearily.

"…He certainly wasn't checking up on me." Sasuke winced as a shard was withdrawn from his forearm, and Iruka finally turned away to pick up the bandages and salve that had been placed on the counter. The elder chuunin slanted a glance at Naruto, and the boy reddened a bit.

"Why would anyone want to break into my apartment just to get at you?" Naruto groused, and Iruka smiled a little bit.

"It is a nuclear waste factory." The chuunin sensei said. Naruto made a choking sound and glared.

"Revenge, hatred. I could think of several reasons." Sasuke stuck out his tongue and drew it back in, repeating the movement a few times more before finally settling back, wounds disinfected and wrapped. He noted the other three ninja had grown somber.

"At least you sought out Naruto." Kakashi said finally, standing up and shoving his hands into his pockets, glancing at Iruka, silver head tilting. Iruka looked up and nodded, drawing away from Sasuke.

"If you two need a place to stay," Iruka offered, but Naruto shook his head.

"We'll be okay. I don't think anyone, ANBU or otherwise, would break in with me actually there."

"Opportunity," Sasuke whispered, eye closed, palm pressed to his forehead. He ached, and not just physically; mentally, and in his soul too. No one seemed to have heard him. Nothing had changed. Not really, anyway.

"We're going to head on home." Iruka started. "If you need anything, Naruto,"

"Yeah, I know." Naruto grinned, giving a mock salute to his old sensei. He grinned at Kakashi and the jounin shook his head. With a wave, Kakashi and Iruka were gone, leaving Sasuke and Naruto by themselves. Naruto looked over at Sasuke, expression softening the longer he stared. Sasuke was pale, his already white skin almost translucent. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, and he looked too thin to be healthy. He was barely breathing, his eye closed, as if he were already asleep. Naruto wanted to leave him here, but he remembered the ANBU that had attacked Sasuke, and in Naruto's own home.

And if he wanted his money, Sasuke needed protection.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme. Wake up, or I'm leaving without you." Naruto griped, hands on his hips, glaring at the brunette. Sasuke's eye opened, and Naruto had to fight to keep his annoyed expression. The gaze in that black eye was one of a man who had given up, who knew when the end was nigh and was prepared to meet his fate. After a moment of staring, Sasuke finally rose, and walked with Naruto back to the apartment he'd abandoned earlier. They said nothing, and Sasuke did not need the words. He knew what Naruto thought about him, and he shattered a little more.

Naruto unlocked the front door and set about looking for traps, just in case, as Sasuke moved back to the couch. He stared for a long while at the blanket on the floor, before picking it up and wrapping it around his shoulders as he settled back onto the couch, head on the pillow, eye halfway closed. When Naruto returned to the living room after taping up his broken window, he stared at Sasuke for a long while. He finally shook his head and went to his bedroom, trying to get the image of Sasuke broken and bloody out of his mind.


	5. Chapter 5

V.

Blood flowing freely. Sliding down white. Mingling with clear sweat. Pink water dribbling down the stream. Fierce breathing. Back to back. Alone. Metal tearing flesh, teeth, nails, fangs, claws. Rending flesh, frightened screams, dying, dying, dying, dead. Falling, falling, rushing, fleeing.

Free.

Sasuke jerked upright as he felt his own body hit the ground, eye wide as he stared into the dawn-lit apartment. His body was covered in cold sweat, his breathing harsher than he had ever wanted it to be. He tugged the blanket from his body to check his flesh, to make sure he had received no wounds. The brunette sighed and flopped back down, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. He'd been plagued by nightmares just like this after being tossed aside like a broken doll. He felt like a broken doll, a precious toy that a child loved while it was young, or it was cool to play with dolls, and then tossed aside, unwanted.

He needed to move.

Sasuke rose from the couch and began to pace, feet lightly touching the floor because he knew Naruto was still asleep, and therefore wanted to make as little noise as he could. He needed to move, to run freely through the woods. He wanted to run. But he couldn't, not without an escort, and his escort was currently snoring and mumbling something about ramen and cheese. Sasuke shook his head and resumed his pacing, a hand snarled in his hair. He knew he should be resting, should be regaining the chakra he had lost, but the urge to just run wild was overbearing any desire to heal. He fought his desires before, murdering them viciously, always believing he was an avenger and one day Itachi would kill him, despite his claims that he would kill his brother first. He had had no doubts at which of them was the stronger. Sasuke finally lay down on the couch, shaking. He knew he was incredibly fragile at the moment, but pride, what was left of it, anyway, kept him going. Somehow. Sasuke closed his eye.

Naruto woke up with a headache, and groaned. It took him five whole minutes to roll out of bed, push himself up and wobble toward the bathroom. It took him fifteen minutes to shower because Kyuubi kept complaining of feeling soiled in some place Naruto was sure didn't exist. When he was dressed, he left his room to find breakfast, and paused to check on Sasuke. The elder was sprawled across the couch, his head turned to the side, mouth slightly open. His arm was flung over his head, the other across his waist, just far enough beneath his shirt to reveal his flat, scarred stomach. The pants he wore were riding low on his hips, revealing the sharp bones beneath that pale stretch of skin. Naruto felt himself reddening, and bolted into the kitchen.

Naruto paced as he fixed breakfast for two instead of one, peeking out now and then to make sure Sasuke was asleep, or at the very least, in minor agony from sleeping so awkwardly. But Sasuke hadn't moved, save for his head turning to the other side, revealing that huge disfiguring scar on his face. Naruto moved closer and watched that scar, studied it, and fought the urge to touch it. Sasuke deserved to have that wound, deserved to have that mark marring his pale flesh, to have that pretty face mauled. He'd turned his back on Konoha, on his friends, on the people who cared for him. Sasuke had abandoned his home for a promise of power and he hadn't cared what would happen to him. He hadn't cared how it would affect those who loved him, those who cared so much about him, and who would give anything to keep him safe. He'd given it all up. Sasuke deserved everything he got.

Naruto started back as Sasuke arched off the cushions, a whimper escaping his mouth. His body was taut, muscles straining, and he finally relaxed, flopping on the couch with a soft sigh of relief. Naruto watched, concerned but not too concerned, but he couldn't help but reach out to touch Sasuke's hair. He was on the floor with his wrist bent backwards before he even registered movement, Sasuke kneeling on his spine and pinning him there to the floor. Sasuke blinked, as if realizing where he was, scrambling off the blonde and backing up to the wall, eye wide. Naruto groaned and got to his feet, rubbing his forehead and rotating his wrist.

"The hell was that for?" He snarled at the brunette. Sasuke looked pained for a moment, tense.

"It's just a reflex," Sasuke said finally, relaxing just barely, looking at the blonde glaring at him, closing his eye in a pained expression. "Orochimaru… used to test my reflexes."

"Like how? Attacking you in the middle of the night with knives?"

Sasuke's lips drew into a tight line, and he said nothing. Naruto paled a little bit, and swallowed. He looked away and then back at the brunette, eyes narrowing as doubts bubbled up in his head.

"Yeah right. You were going to be his vessel. Like he'd damage your body."

Naruto stalked into the kitchen, and he heard Sasuke follow hesitantly, steps light across the floor until they stopped in the threshold of his den and kitchen, Sasuke's attention on the offerings on the table.

"You made breakfast…?"

His voice was soft, tired, as if he'd been expecting to be left to fend for himself. Naruto nodded, already struggling with his air of cruelty. Sasuke really didn't deserve to be punished like Naruto was treating him. But Naruto hated him, and justified his cruelty by his hatred for his former friend.

"If you don't want it, don't eat it." Naruto replied nastily, slamming the fridge door shut as he moved to the counter to fetch a glass, pouring the milk into the cup before sniffing it. He made a face and dumped the milk down the sink, and tossed the carton in the recycle bin by the trashcan.

"No one's made me breakfast before."

That caught Naruto's attention, turning to stare at the other shinobi suspiciously. He felt a little proud that he'd been able to provide Sasuke with something he'd never had, but smothered the feeling before it could change his mind on how to treat the traitor. He snorted and moved to find some orange juice as he heard the brunette move to sit at the table, poking at the eggs in the ramen as if he couldn't bring himself to eat it just yet. Naruto watched him out of the corner of his eye, gauging reaction. Those chopsticks moved, and Sasuke pressed his hands together in thanks before beginning to eat. Naruto reddened as he heard a purring noise from his roommate, and turned his face away.

"What about your parents?"

"Mm?"

"Your parents. Didn't they make breakfast for you?"

"I wasn't given any attention until I mastered the fire jutsu. Only Itachi stayed by my side, but it wasn't very much."

"And you hate Itachi."

"Not anymore."

Naruto paused again, turning away from the fridge and moving to sit across from Sasuke, staring hard at him. Sasuke watched him back, head slightly tilted, eye watching Naruto's own. The blonde said nothing, did nothing, just stared as Sasuke stared before he finally sat back, his face puzzled.

"Why not?"

Sasuke didn't reply right away, eye now downcast, as though he was ashamed. Silence pervaded the area for a good long while, and Naruto's curiosity led to anger the longer he was left unanswered.

"Fine! Don't tell me, jeez." He got up again and moved back to get his juice when he heard it. It was soft, barely discernable above his clacking and noisemaking, but with Kyuubi's hearing, the shaky sigh was as loud as if Sasuke had been obvious about it.

"…There are… things…" Sasuke began hesitantly, looking at a point beyond the threshold of the kitchen, away from Naruto, "that my family has done… that have caused many people to suffer. My brother… in his own way… avenged those people."

"You mean when he…?"

"Yeah."

Naruto was silent again, and he finally sat back down to eat his cooling ramen, noticing Sasuke had seemed to lose his appetite. The brunette wasn't looking at him, but rather the sliding glass door in the den that led to the balcony. Naruto glanced over but saw nothing, so he finished his own breakfast before moving. He made to touch Sasuke's shoulder, but stopped, drawing back and moving to clean up.

"You should eat. Tsunade's going to want to see you today."

Sasuke made an assenting sound and turned back to his ramen bowl, eating almost like an automaton. Naruto shook his head and let Sasuke go shower while he cleaned his remarkably sterile kitchen, despite the little mouse that liked to steal the grapes he left out on the counter. Naruto listened to the water run, and thought about happier times, and smiled a little. The water shut off, and he could hear Sasuke moving around. He turned when he felt the other's presence and stared for a good five minutes before pushing the brunette out the door and toward the Hokage's compound. He fought the desire running through his veins and blamed it on Kyuubi.


	6. Chapter 6

VI.

Sasuke stood before the Hokage and the Council of Elders with no allies, no weapons, no friends. Their eyes glittered with distrust and hatred, but Tsunade only smiled at him when he glanced at her, offering a bit of peace of mind. The Council was silent, staring hard at the boy before them, the boy who was a traitor, and who had left the village to pursue power, even offering up his body to their enemy. Sasuke's mind was blank, and Shiro was no help either. The ookami pointed out things he could say, but Sasuke's mouth wouldn't work. His heart thumped in a steady rhythm, and he could almost hear the hearts of those around him.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Homura began, fingers steepled before his mouth in a serious pose. "You are here today to answer for past crimes. We as the Council reserve the right to have you executed should we deign you are a threat to our village. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Sasuke replied, eye centered on the old man who was speaking for the Council.

"Very good," Homura sat back in his chair, watching the boy. Sasuke was strong-willed, he knew, especially from the reports Ibiki and the Hokage had brought him. In his short time here, Sasuke had done nothing to warrant any sort of punishment beyond what had already been decided by the Godaime. The other members of the council were silent, and Homura looked toward Koharu, the old woman nodding.

"Answer us truthfully, please." Homura told the boy. "Why have you returned?"

"Because this place is safe."

Homura looked toward Koharu again, and the woman nodded.

"And if we decide to have you executed, what will you do? Will you run?"

"Why?" Sasuke asked. "Where would I run to? What village, what town, would harbour a fugitive?"

Homura nodded, knowing the boy had a point. He had also learned of Sasuke's determination to see this through from those statements, though from the murmurs coming from beside him, he wasn't sure if the other council members had garnered the same thing.

"It is true you are the last of your clan." Someone to Homura's left asked. Homura groaned inwardly, watching the Uchiha boy tense. It was this subject he had wanted to approach last, once he had gotten the boy relaxed enough to answer questions without thought. "If we ordered you to take a wife, to procreate, you would do it?"

"Never."

Homura and Koharu looked at each other in near shock from the venom in that word. They looked back to Sasuke, surprised to see the youth staring at the ground, hands clenched into fists.

"I would never take a wife to satisfy this council. I would not subject that poor girl to that kind of torture, nor my children. If I take a wife, it's because I will love her. I will NOT continue the Uchiha line just because a bunch of old farts want that power back!"

Koharu made a choking sound, as if she was trying to hold in laughter. The other members looked shocked and scandalized. Homura shook his head. He knew who held that kind of power over this child's heart.

"Then we will have a woman prepared for you by this evening,"

Koharu slammed her hand on the table, glaring at the speaker. "We will NOT. This child will make his own decision about marriage and children. We will not make it for him! However, Sasuke," Her eyes turned on the boy, meeting that hardened gaze with steady precision. "You will follow our rules."

"Yes ma'am."

"You will join ANBU. You would do well there, and it will put many minds at ease. You will also stay with Uzumaki-kun, and you will go nowhere without him or another jounin. You are not to leave Konoha without express permission from the Council and the Hokage, unless it pertains to a mission. Therefore, in that case, you will be accompanied by no less than three teammates. You will do as you are told by your squad leader, and those who hold authority over you. We will not restrict your socialization, but you will meet with either Homura or I at the end of every month so we can gauge your progress. Do you agree?"

"Yes, Koharu-san." Sasuke said after a moment, having apparently mulled things over in the time she was speaking.

"You may go then," she replied. "Your ANBU squad leader will come by later to begin your training. I wish you luck, Uchiha-kun."

Sasuke bowed and left the office, followed by the Hokage. Koharu looked over at Homura and smiled a little bit as the other council members erupted into outraged cries over her decisions.

"He wants to be here." She told her old teammate.

"He's already chosen his path," Homura replied. "He has decided where he belongs."

"Even if…?"

"You did say the council wouldn't force a marriage on him."

"Still, to that youth…"

"We could stop worrying." Homura said as he rose, escorting his friend out of the office and toward home.

Sasuke stood in front of the mirror in Naruto's room, dressed in that familiar black and white outfit of the ANBU. His mask sat on the nightstand, that of a wolf. He shook his head at the irony, and tied his hair back into its customary ponytail. He picked up the mask, and stared at it for a while. One eye was missing, painted over by red. He finally tied it into place and looked at himself in the mirror again, starting just a little bit at his reflection. It was almost like Itachi was there, standing before him, staring back at him in the mirror. He reached for Kusunagi and paused, remembering that the sword was no longer strapped to his back. He relaxed, closing his eye to remove the mask, and whirled, throwing the covering at the presence standing in the doorway.

Naruto caught the mask before it could break his nose, staring at Sasuke. The black fabric had formed itself to his body, leaving nothing to the imagination, and yet it was making Naruto wonder what was beneath that fabric. He mentally kicked himself, and glowered at the other boy. Sasuke just watched him as he'd always watched him, finally moving to take the mask back, holding it in his hands. Naruto put his hands on his hips and sighed.

"If you're ready, we'll go."

"So you're in my squad." It wasn't a question, and Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Me, Kaka-sensei, and Neji. You're really not supposed to know who we are, but Tsunade-baa-chan said no secrets from you."

Sasuke made a noise and put the mask back on, then shoved out of the room when he was finished as Naruto moved to get changed himself. Naruto left the room a few minutes later, grabbing his partner's wrist and dragging him from the apartment, toward a clearing where another ANBU stood, silvery hair peeking out from behind a red and white mask. Sasuke recognized Kakashi, and stood perfectly still once Naruto released him to converse with the silver haired man. He only moved over once their stances relaxed, though he still stood a good five feet away.

"We just have to wait for Thrush, and we'll get started." Kakashi said, patting Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke made a sound and looked toward the sky. This was going to be a long training session, especially since aggressions could be taken out on him.

~'Thrush'? That's the best name they could come up with for that sullen kid?~ Shiro asked his host, and Sasuke smirked behind his mask.

~I shudder to think of what Naruto has been called.~

~Fox.~

Sasuke snickered as quietly as he could, but Kakashi seemed to hear him anyway, moving a little closer, invading personal space. Sasuke lurched back a little bit, staring at the older man nearly suspiciously.

"We need to think of a name for you, don't we?"

"Why don't we just call me Wolf?" Sasuke asked in a monotone, and this time it was Kakashi who laughed.

"I was thinking that. But I think we'll call you Puppy."

"Puppy."

"Just for now. Until you earn your place here. You're going to be worked to the bone, Puppy. We're not pulling any punches."

"Wouldn't dare expect you too." Sasuke said softly, tensing as he sensed a presence approaching them, quickly coming up from behind. Neji landed beside Sasuke without warning, and Sasuke had to force himself not to react, not to lash out. Neji moved past him to stand beside Naruto, head tilted as he gazed at Sasuke.

"What's his name?"

"It's Puppy," Naruto said, clapping his hand to Neji's shoulder. "Kaka-sensei gave him that."

Kakashi's hand met Naruto's skull with terrifying force, sending the boy to the ground clutching his skull. Naruto was cursing, crouching behind Neji and glaring at their squad leader. Shiro moved restlessly behind his seal in Sasuke's mind at that action, and Sasuke hushed the ookami, though the spirit growled and snarled at the mistreatment of Kyuubi.

"How many times have we been over this? You aren't allowed to use our real names."

"I got it. I got it, believe it." Naruto said, rubbing the knot on his skull as he rose, sighing. "Sorry, Falcon."

~What's with the bird motif?~ Shiro asked, and Sasuke gave an imperceptible shrug.

~Perhaps all the other names were taken.~

~I doubt there are that many ANBU.~

Sasuke shrugged again, and turned to look at Neji and Naruto, not quite staring. Naruto's hands were on his hips, leaning forward just a bit to whisper into the Hyuuga's ear. Sasuke tilted his head to listen, and felt Kakashi come up beside him on his blind side.

"Okay, kids. Let's get started. Thrush, Hound, I want you two to show Puppy here what he'll be learning. Don't kill each other, and don't break any bones."

"But Kakashi," Naruto said with a grin behind his mask, "Breaking bones is fun. And if you break bones, you gain the advantage."

"No bone breaking. Thrush, don't use the Byakugan either, and you, Hound, no extra chakra." Kakashi's voice was joyful, playful, but deadly serious. Neji only nodded, and Naruto groaned, stepping out into the field.

"He's gotten smarter," Sasuke whispered to Kakashi, the older man tilting his head as he crossed his arms over his white-armoured chest.

"He's grown up," Kakashi replied, watching Naruto lunge at Neji only to feint to the left, landing a series of brutal kicks to the other boy's ribcage, the last kick blocked by a quick punch to the ankle, sending the blonde spinning to the ground. Naruto didn't stay on his knees for long, rolling backwards beneath Neji's roundhouse aimed at his head, on his feet and tackling the other boy down in the most crude of methods. Naruto's fist shot up into the air in victory, turning to look at Kakashi and Sasuke, to announce his achievement. Neji's hand smacked into the face of the blonde's mask and shoved him to the ground, the back of his skull slamming into the ground.

"…Kakashi…"

"Yes, Sasuke?"

"I take back what I said about Naruto being smarter."

Kakashi made a sound, and face-palmed.


	7. Chapter 7

VII

Sasuke dove beneath the swipe of the knife that would have sliced his throat and kicked out at his attacker's legs, scissoring his own to upset the other's balance. His attacker came crashing down on top of him, nearly driving the breath from his body. Sasuke recovered and shoved the other off of him, lashing out with his fist as the attacker lunged for him again. They collided, and Sasuke felt pain blossom in his shoulder. He stifled the cry and shoved Naruto away, kicking at his face and clutching his bitten shoulder.

"You bit me!" Sasuke said indignantly, looking helplessly over at Kakashi. The silver haired jounin was conveniently staring down at the latest volume of Icha Icha, and Sasuke sighed. Naruto was holding his nose, his mask pushed up over his face, bright blue glaring at Sasuke.

"And?"

"Next time you bite me, I'll rip your jaw out." Sasuke threatened. Kakashi looked up and his visible eye crinkled in a smile.

"You're done already?"

"We decided to call it a draw due to the fact it's the purple gorillas' mating season," Sasuke deadpanned before Naruto could open his mouth. Sasuke returned Kakashi's startled gaze with a mild look, rubbing his throbbing shoulder to lessen the pain, looking away after a moment as he moved to pick up his discarded mask, fussing with the cut string if only to give himself something to do to avoid looking at those around him.

"Training is over?" Sasuke asked in the silence, hearing a muffled, shocked reply from Kakashi. He looked over at Naruto, then away, and began to leave the clearing. That urge to run coursed through him again and a shiver ran through his spine. He glanced behind him to see if he was being followed, though he knew it was stupid to actually try to run away. Naruto tackled him from behind before he could get too far away.

"Trying to run away already, Sasuke-teme?" Naruto hissed into Sasuke's ear, holding the elder down to the loamy earth. Sasuke didn't have the energy to struggle; he just wanted to run.

"I want to run, Usuratonkatchi." Sasuke replied, surging up off the ground and flipping Naruto over his head, looking down at him with a small smile, eye glittering in challenge. "Feel up to it?"

Naruto grinned toothily. "First one to score blood is the winner. Winner gets the prize of his choice. Agreeable?"

Sasuke nodded, and let Naruto get to his feet. The two jounin stood staring at each other for a few more minutes before bolting off, rushing through the canopy of trees, each trying to get one up on the other. They clashed, lithe bodies compensating with speed and force to keep from actually harming the other, though Naruto's actions held a bit more of a murderous intent than Sasuke's, and Sasuke just did his best to avoid letting his more violent side reign free when he scented that killing edge from the blonde jounin. Clashed, broke apart again, leaping through branches, darting from shadow to shadow, always trying to be ahead or behind, above or below, to spot a weakness to take advantage of. Sasuke paused on the branch of a tree, panting softly as he caught his breath, smiling for the first time in a while. He felt Naruto lunge up from beneath him and jumped from the branch, diving for the ground, passing the blonde as he went. Naruto caught the branch, flipped around and dove after Sasuke, grabbing onto his waist as he passed. They hit the ground in a tangle of limbs, rolling, squirming, trying to get free from the other's grip. Metal glinted, and Sasuke felt wet warmth sliding down his skin. Black went wide in shock, and Naruto sat back with a triumphant grin, licking Sasuke's blood from the kunai's blade.

"I win Sasuke-teme."

"Of course. And what do you want for your prize?" Sasuke asked, head tilting as he directed his chakra flow to heal the wound, rubbing the shallow wound and smearing blood over his pale skin. Naruto blinked, confused for a moment, racking his brain until he remembered what they had been struggling for. Hatred surged again when he remembered, and he directed that hate toward Sasuke, glaring at that scarred face. He watched Sasuke draw back a little, that black orb darken in wary confusion, wondering where that friendly-Naruto went no doubt. Naruto only glared harder, hating himself as much as he hated Sasuke for the moment of weakness he'd just had. Consorting with the enemy, with the unworthy, the untrusting.

And now for a prize…?

Naruto grinned a little bit. "I want you."

Sasuke tensed for a moment, and then deflated. "Of course," he replied softly, looking away from the blonde. Naruto blinked, confused. Sasuke should've fought him, should've argued, should've gotten angry. He shouldn't be looking so defeated.

"Sasuke?"

"…It's nothing." Sasuke rose, and brushed himself free of dirt and debris. "It's what you want, right?"

"But not… no! What's with you?" Naruto moved to follow, grabbing onto Sasuke's arm, pulling him to a halt. "I say I want you and you go all emo on me."

"Naruto, do you understand the mating habits of wolves?"

"They mate for life, right?"

"…Yeah. You could say I'm a wolf."

Naruto blinked, thought about it, and stiffened. "You're saying we'd be mates if I took what I wanted?"

"In a sense. You take what you want from me, and I may not be able to let the next person you choose keep you."

Naruto let Sasuke go, and watched the darker boy move away, pausing after a few steps to look back at the blonde. That dark eye watched Naruto, watched him with something Naruto couldn't name, refused to name, as he refused to let the sick feeling in his stomach consume him. He would not feel pity for this horrible creature, a creature that would defect for power to kill a man who couldn't be beaten, to give up everything for an impossible chance. Naruto looked away, to the sky, anywhere but Sasuke. He listened to Sasuke's movements, listened to the darker start to pace. He finally looked back at the other, reached out to grab his wrist, and pulled him back toward the village.

"I changed my mind. About the prize," Naruto clarified when Sasuke gave him a searching look.

"What do you want now?" Sasuke asked as Naruto pulled him along back to the apartment, Naruto moving to get out of his ANBU uniform. Naruto shoved Sasuke's clothes into their owner's arms and gestured for him to get changed as well. Sasuke shook his head and did as the blonde ordered, smoothing wrinkles out of his shirt just to annoy the blonde. Impatient as ever it seemed, Naruto didn't bother to wait before barging in on Sasuke, grabbing his wrist again and pulling him out of the apartment. Naruto let go of Sasuke once they hit the street, the two walking side by side as they headed for one of the better restaurants that Naruto rarely frequented unless Tsunade was taking a group out to dinner or something like that. Last time he was in a restaurant like this, they'd been escorting Princess Koyuki back to the Land of Snow and he hadn't eaten anything.

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked quietly.

"Dinner first." Naruto replied. "Then we'll talk."

Sasuke nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked, feeling almost naked without Kusunagi resting on his back. He had nothing to fear, not with Naruto walking beside him, waving at a few people they passed along, though Naruto's waves became less enthusiastic the more he noticed the glares being sent toward Sasuke. He looked over at the older boy, and blinked with confusion. It took him three more glares and a flying stone narrowly missing Sasuke's head to realize what was going on. Those glares and those stones were no longer directed at him, rather at Sasuke now. Sasuke had become the Naruto from younger days, the one to receive the distrusting glares and the curses, the one to be the target of stones and spit. Sasuke's head was angled downward, his eye on his feet, on the street before them. Naruto shoved him into an alley, pinning Sasuke to a wall, glaring down at him.

"What is wrong with you, Sasuke?" Naruto whispered, almost pouring enough anger into his voice to make Sasuke flinch. "You would retaliate before."

"That was before, Naruto," Sasuke replied softly.

"It doesn't matter!" Naruto hissed, releasing Sasuke in a huff, whirling away and turning back, lips curled in a snarl. "It isn't like you!"

"I've changed Naruto. You've changed."

"I want the old Sasuke back."

Sasuke looked up at the blonde, head tilting. "You can't have the old Sasuke back. That Sasuke is dead. This is what I am now, and the only thing that can happen now is change."

"You would never let them do that shit to you!" Naruto said vehemently. "Why would you let them now?"

"You mean, why am I not reacting like you would?"

"Dammit, Sasuke!" Naruto breathed, running his fingers through his hair. "It's not like you to let them walk all over you."

Sasuke sighed, looking away as he pressed against the wall, rubbing his shoulder. "And if I retaliated, Naruto, what then? The Council would have all the evidence they need to get rid of me. Maybe they'll breed me first. Maybe if I'm lucky they'll keep me alive long enough to see my first child, to see if he or she has the Sharingan. I want to stay here, Naruto. I don't care how the people treat me, soon enough they'll realize that I'm not the man who killed their loved ones, that I'm not the one to blame for the troubles. They'll realize that I can be trusted again. That's all I can hope for."

Naruto looked at Sasuke, and for the first time since his return, Naruto truly saw Sasuke. Naruto watched him without hate, without pity, void of any emotion. Sasuke was returning because Konoha was his home. This was where everything was familiar, where he knew people who wouldn't judge him for his weaknesses but praise him for his strength. The pity caught in his throat, almost choking Naruto with it. He swallowed the lump in his throat and reached for Sasuke, embracing the darker. Sasuke was stiff in his hold, as if he was trying to figure out what Naruto was doing. He finally relaxed and returned the blonde's embrace, pressing his face to the taller's shoulder, sighing heavily against that annoying orange tracksuit.

"Dinner?" Naruto asked against Sasuke's ear. Sasuke hid the shiver that went down his spine and nodded against Naruto's neck, finally drawing away from that comfort.

"So long as you're buying."

"Hey, I offered, didn't I?"

Naruto grinned, pleased, because he finally got to hear Sasuke's laugh after all this time.


	8. Chapter 8

VIII

"So, wait, you're saying that Kabuto shaves his legs?" Naruto asked around a mouthful of sushi, pausing in grabbing another piece to soak in soy sauce. Sasuke swallowed his own sushi piece as he nodded, taking a sip of tea before continuing his story.

"He thinks Orochimaru is going to make him the concubine or something. Only problem is, Orochimaru hardly even thinks he exists."

"Orochimaru doesn't care 'bout anything but power and living forever," Naruto muttered around his teacup, taking a sip to wash away the sticky rice that stubbornly clung to his tongue. Sasuke made a sound that wasn't quite agreeing. "Wait. He doesn't care about anything but power and immortality, right…?"

"He does now, only because he lost someone important to him." Sasuke said.

"Who?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't that important, despite being the future vessel."

"So basically, you were just shoved into the background until needed, huh?"

"Pretty much. Except for those little escapades where we bumped into one another, I was essentially a shadow. Believe me when I say that being in the shadows when around Orochimaru is more preferable than being in the light. I do not envy Kabuto." Sasuke said as he sipped his tea, settling back in his chair to watch the blonde finish off their order of sushi, content for the moment with his stomach filled and Shiro blissfully silent in the back of his head.

"I don't think anyone does," Naruto replied around the sticky rice in his mouth, swallowing after taking a sip of the water near his elbow, setting the glass in a spot that wouldn't cause it to be knocked over.

"Well, Kabuto's in love with Orochimaru, like I said. Last time I saw Orochimaru, he was hating something or someone. I could tell by the way he walked. It was almost as though something really pissed him off. It was kinda, I don't know, weird."

"Considering Orochimaru really doesn't hate anything but Tsunade or Jiraya."

"It wasn't just that, but the killing intent I could feel, it was worse than Itachi's on a good day."

Naruto stared at Sasuke over the rim of his teacup, watching the brunette intently. Sasuke was no longer looking at him, but off to the side, head tilted almost in thought. He blinked a moment later, turning his attention back to the blonde jounin. They stared at each other for a good while, blinking as if they couldn't figure out what it meant, what Sasuke had said, until Naruto blanched and Sasuke shuddered.

"I -really- don't envy Kabuto now," Naruto muttered, finishing off his tea and rising, pulling money out of his pocket to pay the bill. Sasuke followed, hands shoved into his pockets as the blonde jounin led them out of the establishment. They walked in silence, side by side, through the streets of Konoha, watching the sun sink to lengthen shadows along the sidewalks and buildings. Together, they walked back to Naruto's apartment, Naruto unlocking the door to let Sasuke inside first.

-Sasuke, wait,- Shiro whispered to his vessel, shifting behind the flimsy cage that kept him in check. –Something isn't right.-

-Lend me your senses.- Sasuke replied, head tilting toward Naruto at an inquiry as to why he wasn't moving forward. Scents Sasuke hadn't normally smelled jumped out at him as Shiro's senses overrode his, and he slowly entered the apartment. He could smell Naruto, himself, Kyuubi. He could smell that morning's breakfast still in the garbage, the perfume of the kunoichi next door. He felt the pressure of the air more acutely than before, and almost at once he knew something was wrong. Added pressure made him tense, and he backpedaled a few steps into Naruto before the contraption let fly several shuriken, the weapons digging into the opposite walls instead of Sasuke's – or Naruto's – head. Naruto's hands fell on Sasuke's shoulders as the brunette slid down the length of Naruto's body, eye wide as though in shock. Naruto certainly thought so, because he was holding tight to Sasuke, refusing to let him go even though instinct told him to go search the rooms. Sasuke finally nodded and tugged Naruto's hands to send him on his way.

Naruto left Sasuke by the front door, crouching low as he moved into the larger area of the living room. Nothing seemed out of place, nothing seemed to appear to be wrong, until he heard that soft twang, that oh so familiar sound of wire being snapped or touched in some way. It was a twang he'd trained himself to hear, having practiced this little trick on Kakashi and Iruka too many times to count, a trick that Kakashi always reciprocated and smacked him for if he failed to hear it. He motioned Sasuke forward, signaling for him to keep low, and he moved forward, reaching for his next handhold on the floor. Again that twang, and he sensed Sasuke still, glancing back only for a moment to see how tense the brunette was, indicating he'd heard the twang as well. Sasuke's hand rose, fingers flashing in a silent code. Naruto nodded, head tilting left, then right, watching as Sasuke skittered along the floor to the right of him, coming abreast only a few feet away.

If the two hadn't of known what they were looking for, they would have missed the shadow splayed on the den's floor, courtesy of the moonlight and streetlamps.

Naruto raised one hand, two fingers up and spread, closing slowly to indicate a pincer movement, one Sasuke repeated to say he understood. The two shinobi moved forward, Naruto pulling two kunai from the sheath on his thigh. The shadow shifted and before Naruto could give the signal, Sasuke was already moving. Naruto followed, tossing him one kunai as he came in from the left. The shadow froze, but only for a moment, dodging both Naruto and Sasuke's attacks. The blonde jounin tackled Sasuke down then as that soft twang became an exploding noise, heat rushing over the two of them as they lay on the floor. Acrid smoke burned Sasuke's sensitive nose, and he reluctantly let go of Shiro's senses, pushing himself up from under Naruto, who was sitting up with a horribly angry expression on his face.

"I'm gonna have to fucking replace that window. That's the fifth time in two months."

"Naruto, I don't think one window really compares with our lives or who that was." Sasuke said as he rose, helping his friend up. Naruto managed a sidelong glare at the brunette, as though trying to lay blame. Sasuke only stared back and said nothing other than offering the kunai back to its owner.

Naruto sheathed both weapons and looked toward the window, sighing loudly. Sasuke followed his gaze, and bowed his head a bit.

"Come on." Naruto said finally. "We'll tape the damn thing up and report it to Tsunade in the morning."

Sasuke only nodded, still watching the window as Naruto went to find plastic wrap and tape, returning after a few minutes of loud cursing and tumbling boxes. Together the two taped the hole, constantly watching the street for any movement. Finished, Naruto pulled back, glanced at the window and then looked at Sasuke.

"Hey, you… ah… wanna sleep in my room tonight?"

Sasuke was silent for a few moments, watching the blonde, assessing, weighing. Finally he nodded, offering a small smile.

"Okay."


	9. Chapter 9

IX

"What do you mean you failed? I trained you better than that!"

"Forgive me." Desperate, whispered. "I won't fail you again."

A pause. Deadly silence. "See that you don't. He must die."

"I'll make sure of it," Relief.

"If you fail again," Threatening, malicious. "It will be in your best interest to kill yourself."

A swallow. "I understand."

-

Naruto jerked awake, sitting bolt upright in bed, blankets pooling around his waist. It took him a moment to remember where he was, that he was safe in his own room, in his own bed, quite alone.

Alone?

Shit.

Sasuke.

Naruto turned, looking for the brunette who should have been sleeping on the floor in the vacant pile of blankets and pillows that were neatly folded against the dresser. Naruto flung the blankets off himself and got up, fear taking hold of his heart. He slammed out of his bedroom and down the hall, electric blue eyes going wide as an unusual sight greeted him. The fear reluctantly released its hold on his heart as he gazed at Sasuke, the brunette staring at him like he'd just returned from the dead. Which, Naruto surmised when he offered an embarrassed smile to Iruka, he probably looked like he'd risen from the grave. He glared at Sasuke for two minutes before turning on his heel and going back to his room to get dressed, emerging back into the kitchen to smack the brunette across the shoulders. Sasuke gave a soft growl at the abuse, though he didn't retaliate. Iruka only gave a laugh.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto said in a falsetto, ignoring the way Sasuke added way too much sugar to his ramen, thus ruining the meal for Naruto. He glared at Sasuke, who glared back, and they stayed that way for a few more moments before Iruka cleared his throat.

"Naruto, please. You two were getting along so well,"

"He snores, did you know that?" Sasuke asked over his milk, watching with satisfaction as Naruto spluttered.

"Yeah, well, you… you… you're stupid!"

"What are you two? Four?" Iruka asked, head tilting. Naruto and Sasuke glared his way for a moment, and Iruka tried to hide his smile. The scene was too familiar, something that could have been yesterday, when the boys were only twelve. Sasuke finally averted his gaze and poked at his breakfast, as though he'd lost his appetite. Apparently so, for he pushed his bowl of "uncontaminated" ramen toward Naruto and settled for drinking his milk. Naruto downed the bowl, both in fact, despite the sugar, and sat back in the chair, looking at their former teacher.

"What brings you by, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked if only to lessen the silence that was pressing down on the three.

"Well, I thought you two would like to join me on a field trip today. Not too far, just into the woods to the river." Iruka replied, sensing Sasuke tense up at the mention of leaving the village, even at a distance that was sure to bring help running at the slightest problem.

"Just you and us and those brats you call students?" Naruto said with a grin, head tilted a bit. Iruka laughed and nodded.

"Us and my students."

"And I'm sure Kakashi won't be too far behind." Sasuke said with a sigh, cupping his chin in his hand as he stared past the older brunette and the blonde, out the sliding glass door in the den to the outside. Iruka made a noise that wasn't quite consenting or pleased, and Sasuke's lips twitched a bit in an aborted smile. Naruto grinned and stood up abruptly, nearly knocking his chair over. He managed to catch it before it clattered to the floor, grinning at the two other men in his kitchen.

"We'll meet you in front of the school, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka smiled. "Very well then. Sasuke, thank you for breakfast."

"Mm."

After Iruka had seen himself out, Naruto holding the door open for him, of course, because that's the polite thing to do and he really didn't want to catch the sharp side of Kakashi's kunai, the blonde returned to his guest and watched him for a few moments, letting the silence fall around them like a particularly fluffy blanket.

"You're not violating the rules, you know." Naruto said after a moment. "I'm with you, Iruka's with you, and knowing Kakashi, he won't be far behind."

"It's not the rules I'm worried about," Sasuke replied, closing his one eye against the visage of the blonde, turning his head away to pillow it on his arms. "It's the reactions the parents are going to have."

"The kids."

"The kids."

"Well, what's the worst they can do? Surely Iruka's gotten permission from Tsunade, so it isn't like they can go after you with that." Naruto moved closer to Sasuke, studying the lines that made up that lithe body, watching the tension drain from the brunette. "And it's not like you're actually going to talk with the kids. They'll probably be too afraid to even get near you."

"Yeah, still."

"Still nothing. Come on Sasuke. I know you wanna go outside, and this time, there's no rules." Naruto paused, grinning. "We can run."

Sasuke turned to face him then, confusion and wariness in that single black orb, watching the blonde's face for some kind of ploy, for some kind of trick. Seeing none, the brunette finally relaxed, nodding his assent. Naruto moved forward then, grabbing the smaller man up from the seat, an action he'd regret in retrospect for Sasuke's fist found his gut, and moved to outfit them both for an outing. Naruto paused as he put on his hitai-ate, watching Sasuke watch him in the mirror. Sasuke stood in the doorway of the bedroom, dressed in dark colours that hid that wonderful body that denied the optical fact that Sasuke could kill a man, or woman, with just his hands. He had no weapons on his person, for he didn't need them. And Naruto would have the arsenal anyway. But it wasn't the clothes Naruto found himself watching; rather he was watching the brunette's face, watching that dark eye locate and hold his gaze in the mirror, finally slipping up to look at the hitai-ate that rested on Naruto's forehead. The blonde moved then, kneeling by a drawer and rifling through junk until he brought out a black lacquered box, holding it almost reverently as he brought it over to the brunette.

"It probably sounds stupid, since you'll be getting a new one eventually, but," Naruto paused, taking a breath as he handed the box to his companion, watching the brunette gingerly open the box. "I kept it. Exactly the way you left it."

"You hoped I'd return." Sasuke whispered as he pulled out his old hitai-ate, the metal scarred across the symbol of Konoha, a missing-nin's hitai-ate. He held the band for a few moments before he moved, tying the hitai-ate around his neck, like a collar. Naruto only canted his head and watched Sasuke touch the scarred metal.

"Yeah. When I was sixteen. Four years kinda ruins hope, but, here you are."

"Here I am." Sasuke conceded, looking at Naruto with his head tilted. Naruto wondered then, what would happen if he leaned forward, just a little bit, just far enough to press his lips against Sasuke's, to feel those lips under his own. Would Sasuke tense? Would he gasp, thus allowing Naruto entry into his mouth? Would he beat the living shit out of Naruto? He found himself leaning forward but Sasuke retreated, leaving Naruto feeling like an idiot.

"We have to go," Sasuke said after a moment of trying to hide his own blush. "We'll be late."

"Yeah. Sometimes I forget how much of a temper Iruka-sensei can have."

"Nnh."

The walk from the apartment was silent, as most of those who lived around them had jobs to go to, children to take to school, laundry to clean, books to read, et cetera, et cetera. Those they did meet on the street glared Sasuke's way, and once or twice a stone was thrown, but Sasuke merely avoided the rock, continuing on his way beside Naruto. The stones became less and less the closer they got to the school, Naruto waving as he spotted Iruka trying to line up his students for an adventure. The kids already looked like they were ready for a swim, holding backpacks in their little hands. They stared up at Sasuke like he was a demon from the stories their parents told them before bed, some even shying behind their friends when he looked their way. His head canted, and he looked toward Iruka, who looked happy the two had shown up.

"As soon as we get their backpacks on, we can go," Iruka announced. "We waste too much time and we won't get to swim!"

There was a chorus of groans from the children, even one from Naruto, which earned giggles from the kids who seemed to know him. He started a count – One! Two! Three! – and the kids swung those packs up, Iruka and Naruto securing those packs to the kids. Sasuke certainly felt the odd one out, standing off to the side and watching. The children didn't seem to be more than eight or nine at the most, and they were being allowed out of the village on a field trip. When he was that age, he wasn't even allowed near the gate. Things certainly had changed in the teaching world, he surmised. He and Naruto took up the rear of the train as Iruka led the procession of twenty-four children toward the gate. Sasuke watched as Iruka was stopped, he figured in regard to himself, but the wait wasn't long and they were let through with minimal trouble. Sasuke only sighed, stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched the backs of twenty-four little heads. Shiro gave a soft growl and made a snide comment about a particular kid or three and finally shut up to nap, leaving Sasuke alone in his head.

He caught himself daydreaming when he felt the tugging on his pants, looking down at the little girl who stared up at him with no fear, her fingers curled in his pantleg. He canted his head at her, moving to crouch before her.

"…Michiko has to pee, Sasuke-san."

Sasuke stared at the little girl, Michiko, and sighed. He looked toward Naruto, who stood watching him, and waved his hand. A nod, and Naruto relayed the information to Iruka. Apparently, now, it was potty break. The boys broke up into a group followed by the girls, and Sasuke led the females into a spot where they could do their business. He kept his back turned, borrowing Shiro's senses, and wondered why in the hell they didn't bring a kunoichi with them. When he returned, Iruka smiled gratefully at him as the kids picked up their packs again, continuing their trek. They made it to the river with plenty of time left to swim, and let the kids have at it. Sasuke sat down in the shade, back against a tree trunk, watching the children attempt to drown each other in the crystal waters that came to hip height on them.

"Thank you, Sasuke." Iruka said after a moment, coming over to the brunette as Naruto had gone to fling children into the deeper waters.

"You should have a kunoichi," Sasuke replied, but nodded in return. Iruka looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"I did. She reneged, and I couldn't find anyone else who'd-"

"Who'd come on a field trip if I went?"

Iruka made a sound, agreeing but not liking it, turning to watch the kids cavort in the waters and on the shore. A shout, and the teacher was running to break up a miniscule battle between two boys over who was king of the rock. Sasuke only shook his head and settled further back into the shade. He glanced up then at the little girl from before, Michiko, and the three others who stood around her. Michiko knelt beside him then, the other three following suit.

"Sasuke-san, these are Michiko's friends." The girl told him as though it was of great importance. As though he actually cared. "This is Touma, Maki, and Yasunori."

The boys and girl nodded, moving closer to Sasuke as if he cared for their presence. Sasuke only watched the group of four, head tilting as he studied them. Michiko seemed to be the leader of the group, the strong-willed-never-say-die one. Her second in command was probably Yasunori, the boy's eyes keen enough to catch any detail. He was followed by Maki, the girl looking hard-willed and stubborn. The last was Touma, a slight boy with the look of being a prankster, a troublemaker, but his eyes held an intelligence that was belied by that mousey look of his. Sasuke let his eye drift over the four children, aware they closed in ever closer around him.

"Sasuke-san?" Michiko asked when the older man closed his eye, just listening to the kids. He only canted his head, asking her to continue in a way she seemed to understand.

"Sasuke-san, my mom says you're a bad man," Touma whispered, flinching when Sasuke looked at him, head tilted.

"Do you think I'm a bad man?" Sasuke replied, watching the boy with a mild look.

Touma shook his head furiously, whether to satisfy Sasuke or to pretend that the look of fear in his eyes never existed. Either way, Sasuke couldn't bring himself to care how the children viewed him or not; it was the parents he would have to deal with if their little angels ended up being dismembered by enemy nin. Sasuke frowned at that train of thought.

"What do you think of me then?" Sasuke asked after a moment. The children glanced at one another, as if holding some psychic debate over their joined answers, the children finally sitting down on the ground in a semi-circle around Sasuke, pretzel-style.

"We think you're misunderstood, Sasuke-san." Michiko replied. Sasuke stared at the girl for a moment, before he finally got up the nerve to laugh.

"Misunderstood? There have been better terms used." Sasuke replied. "But misunderstood works."

"The adults say you're an evil man," Yasunori said. "Iruka-sensei says that you made your choice for bad reasons, but you aren't a bad man."

"So he's taught you about me?"

"In passing. Some of the other students brought it up because their parents were talking about you," Maki whispered, folding and refolding her kimono's obi. "The adults don't like you."

"I don't care if the adults like me or not," Sasuke replied evenly. "It's not their job to make judgments now is it?"

"No!" Touma said with a grin. "Making judgments belongs to the Hokage."

"Exactly."

"So if the Hokage likes you, then you're okay," Yasunori said. Sasuke nodded, sat forward, cross-legged just like the four students before him. It had occurred to him they had settled in to hear a story, and he would deliver to their little hearts' contents. It had always irked him that children were shielded so in their society, only to meet their deaths at thirteen or fourteen because of naivety.

"If that's what you wish to believe. Even the Hokage can't contend with the beliefs of the people. She can only keep them from making decisions that will hurt others." Sasuke replied. "You four aren't here because you think I'm cool for defying the rules. Tell me what you want."

The children began to speak at once then, asking about his time with Orochimaru, his brother, the scar, anything their little minds could comprehend, each trying to be heard over the other. Eventually, Sasuke had to hold up his hand to command silence, the children beaming as they leaned forward, eager for the story.

"First off, I'm going to tell you Orochimaru isn't a bad man. He's idealistic, ruthless, and he's willing to do anything to get what he wants. In our eyes, that makes him evil, but he isn't. In his own mind, what he's doing isn't evil, but more of personal gain. He offered me power, power to kill my brother, and I took it. You know when your parents say not to follow the strangers who offer you candy? Listen to them. They know what they're saying." Sasuke paused, letting the words sink in to the children's brains, smirking to himself as he figured he was corrupting the youth. The Council certainly would have a field day with that.

"Second," Sasuke continued, "Itachi did what he did for his own reasons. And no, I'm not going to tell you what they were. You wanna know, you ask him yourself, if you survive. I'm not telling you about this either," – 'this' was indicated with a finger to the scar across his eye – "because you don't need to know. Yasunori, put the kunai away before I break your wrist."

The boy in question stilled, the kunai going lax in his hands, his eyes wide even before Sasuke turned that bloody red Sharingan on him. The child shivered under that gaze, giving a whimper when that bloody red faded back to black, leaving the children staring in awe.

"I'm not even going to ask who put you up to trying to pull off this assassination, if it was that, but the next time you draw a weapon on me, on any ninja, be prepared to face the consequences."

"H-how did you know?" Michiko said a little fearfully, the four now in a huddle before the older man, who had risen to his feet, now towering above the children.

"Air pressure," Sasuke replied succinctly.

"Air pressure?" The children chorused, now earnestly interested.

Sasuke gave a short nod. "A skilled ninja has at least six senses. The first are sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. The sixth is sort of like a second sense, an ability to know if someone is behind you without seeing them. This sense is pressure. There are slight changes in the atmosphere that you can feel if you concentrate. To feel them without concentrating takes great practice."

"So if we practice, we can become as great as Naruto-san and you?" Touma asked, staring up at Sasuke in awe.

"Sure." Sasuke replied. "Now do me a favour, okay? I want you four to stand up, slowly, and I want you to go over to Iruka-sensei. Tell him that you need to go home, right away, okay?"

"But why?"

"Don't ask questions," Sasuke snapped. "A ninja does what he's told."

The children only nodded, turned, and jogged toward the man that was their teacher. The movement was almost to fast for Sasuke to catch, but Shiro's reflexes allowed him to leap out of the way of the exploding dart and roll to a crouch in front of Iruka and his students. Naruto was beside him in an instant, the two scanning the trees.

"Not Kakashi," Sasuke growled to Naruto's half-joked question. He turned to Iruka, gave the man a look, and received a nod in return. It was a miracle that Iruka managed to gather up the panicking children and their gear, the group running for the cover of the trees. Naruto settled beside Sasuke as they watched the treetops, Sasuke listening to Iruka organizing the children to make their escape.

"They're after me," Sasuke whispered to Naruto. The blonde gave him a reprimanding look, as if trying to call him a martyr. Sasuke only glared back. "Shut up. Look, take Iruka and the kids as far as you can into safe territory. Use that stupid birdcall we learned during training. If Kakashi's around, he'll hear it and come running. Once Iruka and the kids are safe, double back on my trail. I can stay alive longer by myself against enemies like this."

"I said I wouldn't leave you." Naruto growled in return, though he moved to help Iruka anyway.

"Your first priority is the children." Sasuke replied. "They're after me. I can lead them away, but I need you to get them away. We don't need a hostage situation to add to our current crisis."

"Sasuke's right Naruto." Iruka said in a whisper. "I can't get them back on my own."

Naruto looked torn for a moment, but finally he turned to Sasuke, determination in his eyes. "If you die, I'll bring you back and kill you myself."

"I won't die." Sasuke promised before he slipped off into the shadows, moving to double around the group, waiting for Naruto to take the lead before moving. He couldn't see his enemies, but he could feel them. He was unarmed, but then, he didn't need a weapon to kill a man. He let Shiro come forward, and felt the changes in his own body. Sasuke halted the transformation to release something else, something much more dangerous when used in tandem with Shiro. The curse mark spread from its perch on his shoulder, sprawling over his skin in a much more controlled design than the before. It no longer owned him. He owned it. He flexed the claws that were his hands, and looked into the woods, seeing flashes of colour against a white and black backdrop.

The hunt was on.


	10. Chapter 10

X

Naruto kept glancing over his shoulders at where he had left Sasuke. He felt horrible, leaving his friend back there to take the heat for whatever they were being attacked for. But Sasuke had been right. He could survive much longer on his own, without worrying for another life that he was responsible for. The children were no match for who was after Sasuke, and Iruka alone couldn't protect them if one of those attackers decided to chase them. Naruto let out a shrill call every few meters, listening for a reply, urging the children along as Iruka brought up the rear, saying they were almost home, just a bit farther. When the gates loomed before them, his call was answered. He dropped down from the branches to get in front of the children, older ninja appearing before them in puffs of smoke and burning ozone. Naruto didn't have time to explain the sudden return. Sasuke needed him. Kakashi caught his shoulder before he managed to make his escape, holding him in his spot.

"Where's Sasuke?" Kakashi asked evenly.

Naruto turned to glare at him, a glare Kakashi knew well. He released the boy and let the blonde go, glancing back to Iruka.

"Go," the schoolteacher said. "We can handle it from here. They're going to need you."

"Get inside." Kakashi commanded the brunette, hesitating until the gates had closed behind the last of the children. He looked to his left at Gai, to his right at someone he didn't quite recognize. It was an unspoken command, the three older jounin vanishing into the trees, following the trail Naruto left for them.

Sasuke ducked under the swipe of the sword, his claws tearing the ANBU a new hole to breathe out of. His face was stained with the blood of his enemies and bodies were everywhere. He'd gotten close enough to discern the purpose of the attack, and would have preferred to leave in silence. He'd never gotten the chance. He was growing tired, and the ANBU seemed to reappear by the twos for every one he put down. His hair was already shining blue with ice, his skin the same, his vision already back in colour.

-Let me out.-

-But...-

-Let me out or you will surely die.-

Sasuke dodged a kunai and tore out his attacker's entrails, slamming his claws into another's forehead, sharp nails puncturing the man's brain. He hit the ground in a roll, and came up behind a tree trunk, catching his breath.

-Let. Me. Out.-

"Shiro, now isn't the time," Sasuke hissed.

-Let. Me. OUT.-

Sasuke cried out as the kunai dug into his shoulder. He tore away from the tree, leaving bits of flesh behind. He scrambled into the clearing and found himself surrounded. One choice left, one last resort. He gave a grin and let the curse seal bleed back into nothingness, leaving him almost defenseless. The ANBU closed in on him, until one found his foot encased in ice, the ice growing to create a clear tomb around his body. Sasuke brought his hands up, quickly signing to unseal Shiro, the ground before him sprouting ice sickles until snow began to swirl up, obscuring view. The ANBU stepped back then, just before a large blue wolf leapt out from the snow, jaws snapping closed around one man's throat, tearing the life from him. The wolf turned then, sharp teeth bared, snarls escaping as it lunged again, bearing another enemy down and forcing death upon him. Some broke ranks, but they didn't get far, for an blonde blur cut them down before they could register what was killing them. Kyuubi was in full rage, Naruto channeling that rage into his chakra, using every ounce of strength between them to kill those who had harmed Sasuke. Naruto dropped the last of those fleeing to the ground when Kyuubi forced his attention elsewhere.

- That scent, that wonderful scent of fresh snow, that desired, longed-for scent -

Kyuubi forced Naruto to run to Sasuke's side, the darker boy now on his knees, panting, doubled over. Wounds littered his body, bleeding and healing, and as Naruto checked over his friend, Kyuubi searched the area for that wonderful scent. No sign, nothing but blood and bodies and water and-

Kyuubi's attention settled on Sasuke, watching through Naruto's eyes the blood and sweat mingle with snow-water. The demon fox felt confused, until that wonderful scent reached his senses again. Yes, yes. Of course! Naruto was helping Sasuke stand as Kyuubi's feeling of realization swept over him, the blonde ninja looking at his wounded friend almost confusedly. Kyuubi's unintentional distraction was enough. The two were blasted back by an exploding dart, Sasuke scrabbling for purchase before he went over the side of the cliff. He glanced up, expecting Naruto to stick his head over the side and help him up. He saw no one, and pulled himself up, panting, ignoring the shrapnel in his side as he looked down. Naruto hung by his hand, fingers dug into the side of the cliff, precariously balanced on a ledge that looked about to crumble. He looked up at Sasuke and smiled, reached for another handhold, Time stopped. Naruto's eyes widened in realization, Sasuke's in fear. Sasuke reached down for the blonde, knowing it was futile.

"NARUTO!"

-KYUUBI!-

Kakashi dropped down into a scene taken straight out of a movie macabre. Bodies littered the ground, bloody puddles of flesh and viscera pooling beneath cold bodies, any visible faces twisted in pure agony. The silver-haired jounin caught Gai's gaze, taking note of the sickened expression before the other jounin hid it behind a mask of calculated coldness. They didn't have time to examine the dead for a reason; they had to find their two missing jounin. Kakashi glanced at the jounin he didn't recognize, watching the young man pad around the bodies of the ANBU, gazing disinterested at the dead. The silver-haired jounin followed that young man's path to the edge of the cliff, and approached a moment later after signaling to Gai. Signs of an explosion, a struggle of someone to regain footing on the edge, broken sod on the side of the cliff, showing someone had fallen, and another had slid down after said someone. Kakashi took a breath and leapt from the cliff, channeling chakra to soften his landing. Gai and the young jounin landed beside him, and Kakashi gestured for them to split up, just to cover more ground.

Kakashi bounded north as Gai went east and that other jounin went west, the silver-haired man running, looking for any signs of passing from Naruto and Sasuke. He bit back the urge to call their names, simply because if he did, he could alert more of those who had tried to kill them. He prayed the boys weren't dead already.

Kakashi came to a halt just outside of a clearing, breath caught in his throat. The pair was nestled under the shade of an oak tree, Naruto's eyes closed, his head pillowed in Sasuke's lap. Sasuke was bent at the waist, so far over that his forehead rested on Naruto's chest. From where Kakashi stood, he couldn't tell if the two were even breathing, but he didn't want to break that peaceful scene. Sasuke's posture told Kakashi that he had been protecting Naruto, while Naruto's relaxed body proved that he was comfortable, safe in trusted arms. Practicality finally drove Kakashi forward, the urge to check on his former students overwhelming. He crouched beside them, watching their chests rise and fall in even breath, gauging their wounds. He glanced up at Gai when the other jounin appeared beside him, eye crinkling in a relieved smile.

"Let's get them back. They need medical attention. And no races this time. They need our help. Let's save the rivalry for another time." Kakashi said before Gai could turn the rescue into a game to test who's was bigger.

"Very well, my friend." Gai said, moving as Kakashi shifted Sasuke into his arms, the silver-haired jounin picking up Naruto. Kakashi glanced around their surrounding area for any signs of pursuit, before the elder pair vanished in a poof of smoke and burning ozone. The boys remained asleep for their quick trip home, and they remained asleep when the medic nins poked and prodded at them as they wrapped bandages around injuries. Kakashi stayed to watch, at least that was what he told himself. But finally he was forced to withdraw, as Tsunade needed a report, and she needed it as soon as possible to keep the Council from biting Sasuke's head off.

Had he stayed, he could've gotten more to add to his report and kept Naruto out of Tsunade's office later, for Naruto woke only a few moments after Kakashi's departure. The blonde jounin pushed himself upright, staring around the familiar room of the hospital, his annoyed expression softening when he saw he wasn't alone. Sasuke slept in the bed beside him, wrapped in as much white linen as Naruto was himself. So long as he could keep close to Sasuke, Naruto figured he could hang out in the hospital for a while.

- For once, you and I are in agreement, cub, - Kyuubi spoke, startling Naruto with the suddenness of the biju's presence.

"Really, huh? Why's that?"

- Because your boyfriend over there has someone dear to me. -

Naruto snarled for a moment at Kyuubi. "He is NOT my boyfriend. And what do you mean, he has someone dear to you?"

- Exactly what I mean, pup. Do you honestly believe that myself and the other tailed demons are the only ones in existence? -

Naruto sighed. "No. I mean, there's Gamabunta and his kids and Temari's weasel thing, and Manda and the slug. But they're summons. There's more of you?"

- Not more tailed, no. – Kyuubi replied. – And yes, they're summons. But before I started sharing your body, there was another, a wolf. -

"So that's what Sasuke meant when he was talking about wolves?"

Kyuubi gave a mental shrug. – Perhaps. Believe me when I say I didn't attack your village because it was encroaching my territory. Perhaps Yondaime knew that, and that's why he sealed me instead of destroying me. – If he hadn't of known, Kyuubi thought to himself, he never would have put his child through such torture.

"So, you attacked Konoha for this wolf? And that wolf is Sasuke?"

- No, you idiot. The wolf isn't Sasuke. The wolf is inside Sasuke, as I am within you. – Kyuubi sighed, almost exasperated. – The wolf's name is Shiro Koori. White Ice. He and I, we cared for this territory together. -

"You were…?" Naruto held up his pinky finger, even if Kyuubi couldn't see it. Kyuubi gave a mental nod, and felt his vessel's curiosity.

- We were mates. That's probably why Sasuke deterred you from taking him. -

"But if Shiro's in Sasuke, wouldn't he know?" Naruto asked, "About you being in me?"

- I don't know. – Kyuubi whispered. That thought hurt the most, Naruto realized. To be forgotten by the one you loved, to be feared by the one you loved, to be hated, Naruto knew those feelings all too well, and he certainly knew how Kyuubi felt, even if the fox was desperately trying not to believe it.

"I think he knows." Naruto said finally, remembering the second voice, the second scream, barely discernable beneath Sasuke's own cry of his name. "I think he knows, and I think he desperately wants to be with you, but it's Sasuke that's keeping him back. Because he knows the only way for you to be together is for me and Sasuke to be together."

- And Sasuke is afraid? Of being your mate? -

"I haven't exactly been that open with him." Naruto whispered. "I mean, I know I love him. I've always loved him, but then he went and defected and then he came back, looking for a home and I've been nothing but cruel to him. I've only begun to understand him, his reasons, and it's not like he tells me anything."

- Have you asked, cub? – Kyuubi wondered, watching his vessel from behind the bars of his cage. – Have you told him you loved him? Have you taken him aside at night and talked? -

"No," Naruto said, a little dejected. "I haven't."

- Then how do you know he won't tell you anything? How do you know he doesn't love you back, and he's too afraid to admit it? -

"Sasuke? Afraid?"

- You both are young. You're innocent still to the ways of the world, Naruto, but I'm sure Sasuke has seen the cruelties of the world. Relationships between two men may be accepted here in Konoha simply because a ninja's life could end at any moment of any day, but out there, in the world beyond Konoha? -

Naruto sighed, shivering a little bit. Kyuubi had a point, and he gazed over at Sasuke, eyes tracing the features of the elder's face, lingering on the scar that marred it, and he almost reached out for the darker, though he knew even if he did, he'd never reach him without getting up. He was pretty sure any movement like that would bring people running.

"He's always so far away from me, Kyuubi," Naruto said after a moment. "He's always so untouchable."

- Then bring him close to you. Touch him. You let him go once, with the vow to bring him back. He's back now, back and I doubt the only reason he's here is because this is where he grew up. – Kyuubi replied.

"I love him, Kyuubi."

- I know, cub. Get some rest. You'll have to answer questions in the morning. -

Naruto settled back down, head turned to watch Sasuke sleep. "Tell me more about why you attacked?"

- Hah. – Kyuubi snorted. – That question is better answered by your Uchiha. Now sleep, boy. -

Naruto snickered softly and closed his eyes, letting himself go back to sleep, resolved and determined. Sasuke would be his, completely and only his, by the end of the week.


	11. Chapter 11

XI.

Sasuke settled onto the couch, easing his way for his muscles still protested movement. It was simple enough to explain, considering summoning Shiro took quite a lot of out him, even at his best. The attack that the two had suffered had taken its toll on Shiro as well, the wolf asleep in the back of his mind, though Sasuke could feel the wolf shifting as though answering Kyuubi's calls. Sasuke closed his eye, intending to nap, starting just a moment when Naruto settled against his side, offering a bottle of water that Sasuke took gratefully. It was a problem, when he summoned Shiro, that he would always get overly dehydrated. They'd managed to get through their reports without any brain damage courtesy of Tsunade. She told them not to leave the village for some time, as the Council would have to be informed and probably another hearing. More headaches for everyone.

"So…" Naruto began, doing his best not to blush as Sasuke settled his head on his shoulder, both staring at the blank screen of the television set.

"So?"

"I don't have any movies. And I don't feel like getting up to turn on the TV. So tell me a story."

"Naruto, you aren't four anymore."

"Tell me why Kyuubi attacked Konoha."

Sasuke stilled and drew his head away from Naruto's shoulder. The blonde almost regretted it, but he held firm when Sasuke turned to him, his eye glinting with something Naruto couldn't name. They held each other's gaze for what seemed to be hours, neither blinking or saying anything until Sasuke finally sighed, nodding as he settled his head back on Naruto's shoulder.

"You're not going to like it."

"Come on. If I can handle Kakashi's stories about when Konohamaru got a hold of Icha Icha, I think I can handle a story like this."

Sasuke sighed, nodding again, eye closing as he settled against Naruto, knowing the blonde had settled in to hear a story. It was a matter of where to begin, of how much to reveal, of how much Naruto needed to know about his family and the cruelties they wrought upon him and Itachi. It seemed inevitable to start at the beginning because, generally, that's where stories started.

"I met Shiro when I was only a few months old. Itachi had taken me out to play. It was one of his rare days of nothing, so he decided to escape the family for a few hours." Sasuke began, softly, hesitantly. "Itachi didn't know any better. He was a kid, young, stupid, if you can believe that. We were followed. After all, who's going to let the Uchiha progeny out and about by themselves?"

Naruto paused, sighing softly. "They caught you?"

"Yep." Sasuke breathed. "The adults didn't know Shiro was Kyuubi's mate, and Itachi didn't know enough to really fight back. And even if he did he couldn't have protected me anyway. It's something he's never been able to forgive himself for."

"So he really does care about you?"

"If he'd had his choice, when he was old enough to become my guardian, he'd have taken me away from here. I assume we'd both be with Akatsuki at this point. Anyway, the adults, my father especially, captured Shiro to seal him inside me. I think that's why I was such a late bloomer into jutsus."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, sliding his arms around Sasuke's shoulders and hugging the elder close.

"Orochimaru and I studied the effects of the biju on the body when we had nothing to do. Apparently, being a vessel to a spirit dampens the natural process of the body channeling chakra. The stronger the spirit, the more difficult it is to control the chakra. That's why your clone jutsus were so fucked up." Sasuke said, relaxing back into Naruto's warmth.

"Well, now I know who to blame." Naruto said with a grin, lifting a hand to run his fingers through Sasuke's dark strands.

"Anyway," Sasuke whispered to keep the story going. "Kyuubi found out what my clan did. So he attacked Konoha to get to us, to destroy the Uchiha clan. After that it becomes history."

"Yondaime sealed Kyuubi into me and blah, blah, blah." By now, Naruto had maneuvered Sasuke's head into the perfect kissing position, the two settled against each other, nestled almost, comfortable.

"Itachi took Kyuubi's revenge upon himself. Got them all."

"All but one."

"Because he couldn't. No matter what, he'd made a promise to our mother he would always protect me." Sasuke said, slowly starting to drift into sleep. Naruto hummed, petting Sasuke as the darker's head lolled against his shoulder, the elder jounin asleep. Naruto moved to lift Sasuke into his arms, carrying the elder to the bedroom they had begun to share, settling Sasuke down onto the mattress, covering him with the blankets. The blonde studied Sasuke for a long while, settling down beside him on the mattress, fingers ghosting over pale flesh, stroking and petting. Naruto leaned in then, mouth sealing over Sasuke's, shifting to hold himself over the darker.

Kyuubi was purring in the back of Naruto's mind, urging the boy on, urging the boy to keep going no matter what Sasuke did in retaliation. Naruto had every intention of making Sasuke his, indeed, but he had no intention of forcing Sasuke to do anything he didn't want to. After all, that's where trust started, right? Kyuubi only snorted and let Naruto have his fun. Sasuke only wrinkled his face and rolled, trying to get away from whatever was assaulting him. Naruto kept up his movement, rolling with Sasuke, finally pinning the elder beneath him, nuzzling his neck.

"Wake up, Sasuke." Naruto whispered into his ear, nibbling the shell, forcing Sasuke away from the sweet dream he had been having and into the waking world. Sasuke made a noise, quite annoyed at the whispers in his ear. Naruto only smiled, shifting over Sasuke, nuzzling his neck as Sasuke tilted his head back, making a whimpering noise.

"Oh wake up, Sasuke." Naruto whispered. "Wake up, beautiful one."

"Sh-shut up, Naruto…" Sasuke replied quietly, arching into the blonde's teasing mouth, head tilting to the side, offering more of the pale expanse of his neck to the younger man. Naruto only snickered, baring his teeth to mark Sasuke's throat, bruising the pale flesh in an effort to make Sasuke his own. Sasuke's body trembled beneath Naruto's hands, the blonde spending very little time in divesting the darker of his clothes. It was a tedious process, considering Naruto took the time to nip and suckle at every bit of available flesh on Sasuke's body, but soon, the darker was bare beneath him, face nicely red, chest heaving for precious air. Naruto purred in echo of Kyuubi and nuzzled Sasuke's neck again as his hand stroked down the darker's stomach, teasing through a wiry thatch of hair to the base of Sasuke's growing erection. Naruto shifted to his knees then, spreading Sasuke's legs apart and settling between them, raising his eyes to Sasuke's own dark orb, smiling.

"You like that, Sasuke-kun?" Naruto asked in a falsetto, laughing at the annoyed growl, soothing Sasuke with a heavy stroke right down the vein. "It gets better, you just wait."

Sasuke arched into Naruto's hand, pushing himself up to sit with his legs spread wide, hands clutching into Naruto's jacket, tugging to get it off as Naruto surged up to capture Sasuke's mouth, silencing any protest that might've been said. It didn't stop Sasuke from biting Naruto's lip rather hard in retaliation for the teasing strokes, nor did it stop Naruto's clothes from coming off until the blonde was bared to his lover. Sasuke gasped and bit into Naruto's shoulder as Naruto's hand squeezed his member in a tight vice grip, bruising the tanned flesh enough to make Naruto wince. The blonde cut off Sasuke's apology with a rough kiss, forcing the elder down onto the covers as he settled between Sasuke's legs, half covering him as he rubbed their erections together.

Naruto thought Sasuke was beautiful, pale skin shining with sweat, mouth part way open as he panted for air, writhing and moaning beneath Naruto, though Naruto was wise enough not to openly say Sasuke was moaning. The bite on his shoulder hurt too much for Naruto to want another bruise. It wasn't enough for Naruto to see Sasuke completely undone, however. Naruto wanted more of Sasuke, probably more than Sasuke was willing to give at the moment. But Naruto had learned to be patient, because he'd gone through his life facing the consequences that his rashness had brought, and because he wanted Sasuke's trust. Sasuke arched and whimpered as he felt Naruto's mouth on his need, the blonde tonguing the slit to lap up the pearlescent drops that were beading there. The blonde didn't stop with his tongue though. His intent was to make Sasuke beg for it before the end. So he shifted yet again, wrapped a hand around the base of Sasuke's erection and enveloped the head with his mouth, going down on the elder ninja. Sasuke bit back a scream, head tossing from side to side as he writhed beneath Naruto, panting as he whimpered out the blonde's name, almost utterly undone. Naruto only laughed, the vibrations doing horrible things to Sasuke's body, and bobbed his head in time with the motions of his hand. Eventually, at Sasuke's whimpered insistence, Naruto drew back, smiling at the darker.

"I love you, Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto whispered against Sasuke's ear, fingers soon coated in sweat and semen, enough to do in a pinch since this little activity hadn't been planned in the slightest. Sasuke's mouth worked noiselessly, as if he couldn't comprehend Naruto's words. Finally, a small smile graced his face, Sasuke moving to wrap his arms around Naruto's shoulders, giving himself up to the younger blonde.

"I love you, too, Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke replied, gasping as Naruto's first two fingers breached his body, pushing slowly past that tight ring of muscle up to his first knuckle. Naruto pressed kisses to Sasuke's throat if only to soothe as he pressed his fingers in deeper, until he couldn't push them any further, withdrawing them and pushing them back in, stretching Sasuke for his considerably larger erection. The darker was mewling, quiet little sounds that drove Naruto crazy just by knowing it was –Sasuke- that was making those sounds, and Naruto couldn't hold himself back especially with Kyuubi's insistence. Finally, the blonde removed his fingers and settled his need against Sasuke's entrance, slowly pushing in.

At first, Naruto nearly couldn't stand the tightness. It was painful, no lie, but it felt wonderful at the same time. He could hear Kyuubi whispering in the back of his head, but it wasn't to him. No, somehow, some way, when Naruto made that physical connection with Sasuke, it opened a spiritual connection between Kyuubi and Shiro, and as he watched Sasuke, Naruto knew Sasuke felt that connection as well. Naruto smiled and leaned down to kiss Sasuke, slowly beginning to move, drawing out their lovemaking as much for their benefit as well as Kyuubi and Shiro's. Naruto watched Sasuke's face, listened to his cries, and picked up the pace of his thrusts, wrapping his arms beneath Sasuke's legs to fold him near in half, slamming into his lover harder and harder, the only sounds in the room being their pants and moans.

Naruto managed to slide his hand between their sweat slickened bodies to grasp Sasuke's penis, fisting the darker boy as he slammed into his body, listening to Sasuke's quiet cries. It was almost too much, combined with Kyuubi's whispered words to Shiro and Sasuke's tightness, for the darker was growing ever tighter and Naruto knew neither would be able to take no more very soon. It was just a matter of who came first and Naruto was determined to make Sasuke lose the race. He stroked and squeezed and thrust into Sasuke's warmth, Sasuke arching and gasping beneath him, almost completely undone. Both were getting close to the edge now, Naruto's pants nearly drowning out Sasuke's cries, and finally, finally Sasuke let out a choked cry, his body tensing and arching as hot white seed splashing against his chest and Naruto's fingers, Naruto's own passion filling Sasuke as the blonde let release wash over him, the blonde collapsing on top of his lover.

Sasuke clung to his lover, nuzzling against the blonde's shoulder, red in the face as he listened to Shiro's purring, muting the wolf's own as Naruto sealed his mouth over Sasuke's, the blonde purring into the kiss. When they broke apart and Naruto pulled from Sasuke's body, they lay beside each other, Sasuke enveloped in Naruto's arms, head resting on his chest. Sasuke traced the chakra tattoo that was softly glowing on Naruto's stomach, the archaic runes fading as Naruto calmed down, the two nestled nicely beneath the blankets.

"So…" Sasuke began softly as Naruto repositioned his head against his shoulder, running his fingers through Sasuke's dark hair.

"So?" Naruto repeated, smiling into the dark as Sasuke snuggled tighter against him. Naruto laughed softly, managing to hold back a yawn as Sasuke let out a wide yawn of his own. "I love you, Sasuke. Nothing and no one will change that."

"Mm." Sasuke replied, finally falling asleep against Naruto's side. Naruto smiled into the dark and started to fall asleep himself. He made a promise to himself to visit Tsunade-baa-chan in the morning, eventually.


	12. Chapter 12

XII

Iruka rubbed his forehead and sat back in his chair, fervently wishing for ibuprofen. The children were getting excited, almost too excited to control. One of the kunoichi senseis had suddenly gone into labour, leaving her class unattended. Those children had subsequently been shifted to the remaining classes, which in turn made the classes larger than one teacher could handle. Thus he was grateful when Naruto and Sasuke stopped by on some errand or another, probably for Kakashi considering Naruto carried a lunch box. Iruka knew the other teachers wouldn't like it, and he'd probably get into serious trouble for it, but it was between having someone watching twenty-four kids as compared to forty-eight. So with smiles and false happiness he managed to get Sasuke into the vacated classroom and the scattered children back into the classroom with Sasuke, and told him all he had to do was watch the kids for another few hours.

Sasuke was incredulous, staring after Iruka's back as he was left alone in an enclosed space with twenty-four little ankle biters, with Naruto waving with a grin that made Sasuke want to punch him. He turned to look at the children, recognizing none of them. They certainly were afraid, no doubt having been told about him by their wonderful parents. Sasuke gave a sigh and moved to stand before the desk, watching the kids with as much interest as they watched him. Finally, one little girl moved, standing up as though to ask a question. Sasuke raised an eyebrow; he'd never been asked to teach. Instead, she threw a wad of paper at him, which started an all out war. Sasuke heaved a sigh, lunged, and returned fire with the paper wads he caught, finally moving to stand before the girl who threw the first blow.

"I don't appreciate being targeted." Sasuke said in his best serious voice. The girl trembled under his dark gaze, looking close to crying. "I'm doing this as a favour to Iruka-sensei."

"We don't want a new teacher!"

"Who said I was going to teach you?" Sasuke asked. "I just was shoved in here to watch you. Watching is different than teaching,"

"No it's not!" one little boy cried. "You're here to teach us because our sensei got sick! She's sick 'cause it's your fault!"

"Your sensei isn't sick," Sasuke replied, moving back to the teacher's stage, rubbing his growing headache. So this is what Iruka felt every day when dealing with the little idiots? Sasuke had a whole new respect for Iruka.

"She isn't…?"

"No. Haven't they taught you anything about babies?"

Judging by the blank stares on their eight-year-old faces, no one had bothered to tell them their sensei had been about to have a baby. Sasuke sighed heavily and leaned against the desk, wondering how to explain to them something that should have been introduced already.

"Your sensei isn't sick," he began for lack of better words. "She's going to have a baby. That's why she had to leave early. Her baby was ready to be born."

It was then an idea dawned on him, and he looked at the crumpled mess of paper wads that littered the floor and a few kids' heads. The children were staring at him, some confused, some afraid, some apathetic. Sasuke moved around the desk and began to open the drawers, searching for pencils and crayons, dropping those on each child's desk.

"You don't want to learn from me, so I'm not going to teach you. That wasn't what Iruka-sensei asked me to do. You think your sensei is sick, but she's having a baby. So what I want you to do is to pick up this paper, and make her get well cards."

"We're not four."

"No, you're eight." Sasuke replied, watching the children lean forward. "You're almost old enough to become genin. Still, don't you think your sensei would appreciate having hand-made cards from you while she's resting in the hospital?"

That seemed enough to get the girls going and Sasuke had to start praising the girls on their forming masterpieces to get the boys to start working. Sasuke was sure he could get Iruka-sensei or someone else to deliver the cards, so long as his name was never mentioned. They'd find another substitute until their sensei came back to work and Sasuke could go back to his own life without worrying about his own wellbeing while he was involved with twenty-four little children. The kids were quiet until Sasuke mentioned they could talk so long as they didn't yell, and the room erupted into chatter, the kids splitting into groups as they worked, and Sasuke just watched.

Iruka opened the door to the classroom expecting bodies, and he'd never mention the relief that flooded through him when he saw the kids crowded around Sasuke as he sat on the floor, surrounded by crumpled, coloured cards, folding them neatly as possible as the kids asked him questions that he did his best to answer.

"He's good, isn't he?" Tsunade asked Iruka, standing behind him, her head tilted. Iruka jumped a bit to find the Hokage behind him, her finger to her lips to call for silence. "I was looking for Naruto."

"He's watching my class for me," Iruka replied. Tsunade nodded, looking over the chuunin's shoulder to watch Sasuke deal with these eight-year-olds.

"The children seem to like him." Tsunade said. "Perhaps… Well, I need to speak with Naruto. Send him over when you see him. I want you to test Sasuke. See if he's competent enough to be a teacher."

"Are you sure it'd be a good idea?"

"We need a substitute until Maru is ready to come back to work."

Iruka looked at Tsunade, his face showing his worry. "The students like him, but I'm afraid of what their parents will say."

Tsunade snorted as she turned to walk down the hall, waving her hand in a dismissal. Iruka sighed, shaking his head as he smiled. Sasuke did have a knack for dealing with children, Iruka knew, and had known since the incident in the forest with four of Iruka's students. True that incident hadn't been the best test of Sasuke's skills at handling children, but it proved to Iruka that Sasuke was determined and capable enough to protect his students in the event something went awry. Any teacher needed to be able to handle unexpected events, whether they occur on a field trip or in the classroom. Iruka himself was proof of that. Too many times did his class erupt into chaos because someone had heard of the legendary Sexy no Jutsu, probably from Konohamaru, and tried it out on Iruka, year after year. By now, the brunette had built up immunity to it and shrugged it off, assigned detentions and extra homework and went on with his life of teaching the future of Konohagakure. Besides, he didn't need children to freak him out by appearing to be a sexy, naked teenage girl. Kakashi did that just fine on his own. Iruka was never going to get over the fact that Kakashi had somehow copied the Sexy no Jutsu from Naruto and constantly tried it out on the poor teacher just to see how many buckets of blood could come from Iruka's nose. It wasn't a pretty sight afterward either, for Kakashi often sported a black eye for weeks after Iruka had finally washed the blood out of his uniform. It was a badge Kakashi wore proudly. Finally, Iruka knocked on the door and sheepishly smiled at Sasuke, simply because he knew that Sasuke had spotted him before he'd even made his presence known to the children. The kids started talking at once, excited and happy, shoving the neatly folded cards into the hapless sensei's hands before running out the door toward home. Sasuke stood up then, head tilting toward Iruka, giving the chuunin a knowing smile.

"Sensei, huh?"

Iruka blushed as Sasuke gave a short laugh, his hand coming up to snag in his hair. "I don't think I'd make a good teacher, Iruka-sensei."

"I think you would. Come on," Iruka said with a smile. "Let's get Naruto and take him out for ramen. I'll get my old books for you to read through and when you're finished, we'll see if you want to be a teacher or not."

Sasuke only sighed and shook his head, following the chuunin to collect their blonde friend, Naruto very nearly close to strangling a few of the children by the time Iruka told them all to go home. Naruto took Sasuke's hand in his own when Iruka wasn't looking and kissed his fingertips; Sasuke blushed just a bit and swung his unoccupied hand, connecting with Naruto's down-turned nose just as Iruka turned around again. The tussle was just getting fun – Naruto was winning – when Iruka hit them both with the erasers from the chalkboard. The three left laughing, and when Iruka told Naruto of his plans for Sasuke, the blonde did his best to convince his lover to take up the challenge.

It was a good thing, then, that Naruto and Sasuke stayed the night with Iruka and Kakashi, when the silver-haired jounin appeared just in time for dinner. When they returned to Naruto's apartment in the morning, it seemed as if Kyuubi had been let loose on a quiet, one room tornado.

"What happened here…?"


	13. Chapter 13

XIII

The scent was strong and the blankets were still warm. So he still lived. The question was for how much longer. Like a shadow, the intruder slipped from the bedroom to the sliding glass door, easing it open and slipping out. Not a moment too late, either, as when the intruder leapt from the balcony to the roof of the building across the street, the glass doors exploded inward. The intruder turned, eyes going wide at the sight of masked ninja tearing into that apartment and destroying everything. What was the point of trashing the apartment that belonged to the younger boy? What were they looking for? The original intruder let a snarl grow and vanished into the night before the moonlight revealed what needed to be kept hidden. In the morning, the intruder returned just before the owner of the apartment walked up to the front door, peering over the destroyed objects for clues. The intruder looked up as a key turned tumblers and darted from the apartment when the door swung open.

"What happened here…?" Naruto asked the destruction and chaos of his apartment, staring wide-eyed at what awaited them. Sasuke nearly dropped the books he held to the floor as he followed Naruto into the apartment, surveying the damage. Furniture was broken, smashed to pieces. Stuffing from the couch cushions hung everywhere and broken pieces of dishes littered the floor of the kitchen. It was like a tornado had gone through and wrecked everything but the kitchen sink, because the kitchen sink always survives whatever horror takes place in a home while no one's there to watch. The bedroom was destroyed, drawers pulled out of the dresser and dumped on the floor as if whoever had gone through hadn't bothered to be gentle about anything. The signs that someone had been looking for something were clear, but neither Naruto nor Sasuke could fathom what could be looked for in Naruto's apartment. It was almost like a death threat, though Naruto had stopped getting those when he defeated Gaara of all people and Sasuke had only recently stopped getting death threats when Tsunade and several jounin had spread the word of his bravery in the forest. So whatever the vandal had been looking for, they didn't find.

"Unless they're that into bloody sheets." Sasuke whispered, even though Naruto glared at him for the reference of the night before last. The sex had been good, very, very good, but they had woken with just a bit of blood on the sheets, of which Kyuubi had made the joke that Sasuke was no longer a virgin, to which Shiro replied that he wasn't either. Kyuubi had shut up after that.

"I'm going to go report this to Tsunade-baa-chan." Naruto said finally. "She wanted to see me, anyway."

Sasuke nodded, heaving a sigh, looking out the destroyed glass door to the balcony. "I'll look for clues. If I find something, I'll follow."

"Right." Naruto pulled Sasuke into a kiss and finally released the elder, vanishing in a puff of smoke and ozone, leaving the darker alone in the destroyed apartment. Sasuke bit his cheek, letting the warm and salty blood wash over his tongue. Look for clues, how bad a lie was that?

"I should tell him," Sasuke said to nothing.

- You tell him and you'll be ostracized again. – Shiro replied.

"A small price to pay for living in peace." Sasuke moved to the balcony, stepping lightly over broken glass. He looked left and right, let Shiro widen his senses just to see if anyone was nearby that could be watching, and finally stepped up to the balcony. He balanced there, as if waiting for something, lifted one foot and fell forward. It was a trick he'd practiced whenever he got the chance. His hand shot out at the last minute as he fell, catching the edge of the balcony on Naruto's apartment, swinging himself beneath the structure. His feet hit the wall and he balanced there, his free hand feeling for that secret pocket that had to be there. Ah, there it is. Sasuke peeled back the paper that concealed the missive and tucked the missive into his shirt before letting go and dropping that twenty or so feet to the ground. He landed easily enough, and once again he looked around for witnesses. Finding no one, he pulled the missive out and opened it, recognizing the flowing script.

- What does he want now? – Shiro asked his host. Sasuke only shrugged, tossing the missive in the air when he set it on fire, watching the ashes disappear with the wind. Sasuke's mind was racing. Was it time? It couldn't be. Not yet. Not now. He hadn't… Sasuke felt eyes on him then, and he shivered. He had to find Naruto. Naruto. He'd gone to the Hokage's. Sasuke clenched his fist and darted away from the apartment, passing like a shadow through the crowd in the streets. He'd tell Naruto, he'd tell Naruto everything.

He owed him that much, even if Naruto hated him afterward.

"-completely trashed," Naruto was saying when Tsunade came back to the conversation. It wasn't that she didn't care – she did – but it was a regular occurrence among her jounin to return to find that their homes had been broken into and trashed, as Naruto had said. Sometimes it was a prank done by genin or other jounin, and Tsunade wanted to be able to say she was going to look into it to appease them. Because jounin are very territorial like that, you know.

"Naruto, you know things like this happen all the time."

"No. Tsunade-baa-chan, this isn't some prank! This was some real vandalism, and if Sasuke and I hadn't been at Iruka-sensei's, we probably would've been involved in said destruction."

Tsunade watched the blonde, seeing the frustration in his electric blue eyes. It wasn't something she could just dismiss easily, Tsunade knew. The vandalism in Naruto's apartment hadn't been the only place torn to bits. The hospital room that had held Sasuke had been torn apart and several students' homes had been broken into. The fact that the children were being targeted frightened Tsunade a little, and so she had kept the events hushed to keep people from freaking out. Still, now that Naruto had come to her, claiming the same thing several other people had claimed, she had to do something.

"I'll have you look into it all then," Tsunade said after a few moments of silence. "A new mission for you."

"But… I'm already watching Sasuke for you." Naruto said. "I thought babysitting him was my mission."

"He's no longer in need of watching. When you have the time, give me a report. As of now, your mission of keeping an eye on Sasuke is finished. I'll have your pay ready for you soon enough. Now-"

There was a crash outside of Tsunade's office and by the time she maneuvered around the desk to throw open the door, Naruto was in the hallway, looking every which way for the person who had made that crashing sound. Tsunade looked at the blonde young man just in front of her and tilted her head. The boy was glaring at a broken potted plant and the window just to the side of it, and if looks could kill, Tsunade would have sworn that poor squirrel in Naruto's line of vision would be dead five times over. She sighed and moved back into her office, or tried to, when Kakashi appeared in front of her, making her heart gallop around her rib cage. Even if she was an old lady, no one should have their heart beat five times the normal rate. Someone was going to die of that!

"What do you want Kakashi?" Tsunade said, maintaining the calm she had felt before the silver-haired jounin had appeared in her office. She was going to have to fix that. Tsunade made a mental note to have Shizune look into wards and the like to keep the jounin out.

"Sasuke's gone." Kakashi replied. "I've looked all over for him. He was supposed to meet Iruka and he never showed."

"There was an incident at Naruto's apartment," Tsunade said. "Sasuke's probably hanging around there."

"I told him to stay there," Naruto clarified. "He should still be at my place."

Kakashi shook his head and the room went silent. "I looked there first. It's a mess, Naruto. I've checked Ichiraku, all your haunts, all his usual haunts, even the ANBU training room. He's no where."

"He couldn't have gone far. There are guards everywhere," Tsunade said, already moving to fetch Shizune, to have her call the jounin. If they couldn't find Sasuke before the council found out, things were going to get messy and very, very bloody.

"He was trained by Orochimaru," Naruto whispered, saying the thing they were all thinking. "He could get in and out, and we'd never know."

"Find him. Find him and bring him here." Tsunade said with authority and more malice than she felt as Shizune appeared. "If he's outside Konoha, bring him back in chains if you have to. Alive."

Kakashi and Naruto nodded, both looking at each other with a worried glance before vanishing. Tsunade gave Shizune her orders and went to slump in her chair. The council was going to hear of this soon enough. Sasuke's life was no longer in her hands. He was on his own. She turned to look out the window of her office, staring into the afternoon sun. If Sasuke was found outside Konoha, he was as good as dead. If he was found within Konoha, maybe she could petition with the council for some leniency. There was something going on here that she didn't understand, something that involved Sasuke in a way she just couldn't understand. He had left before she had been instated as Hokage, but she knew why he had chosen to join Orochimaru. Sasuke's was a mind she just couldn't figure out. She hoped he was still within Konoha. She hoped he was just in the bathroom or off with one of his old friends. She hoped he was at the Memorial Stone, hiding in the trees, or on top of the Hokage mountain. She hoped he was found safe and alive.

But most of all, Tsunade hoped Sasuke was found at all.


	14. Chapter 14

XIV

Kakashi and Naruto met up with several pairs of jounin over the course of the rest of the afternoon, each pair trying to find Sasuke. It had been Neji's idea to travel in pairs, that way, if Sasuke killed one of them, the other could have a chance to make it back to warn Konoha. Neji had received strange looks for that comment, but considering his partner was Rock Lee for this little not-mission, the other jounin took it in stride. After all, what are jounin if not overgrown children with killing abilities? So several pairs darted into the forest surrounding Konoha to look for signs of the Uchiha boy, while others spread out about the village, looking everywhere Kakashi had looked that morning, and still no clue. Now dusk was falling, and the groups who had gone into the forest were returning with no clues as to where Sasuke could have gone. Which meant Sasuke was still in the village, or he'd run very far, and very fast. Naruto bit his lip, standing on the roof of the school building, waiting for Kakashi to return with news. The silver haired jounin reappeared without preamble and shook his head. So the council knew.

"Sasuke's dead," Naruto whispered.

"Seems that way, if we can't find him." Kakashi replied, watching his former student slump in defeat. Kakashi reached out and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "We'll find him, Naruto. I promise you I won't let any harm come to him."

"It isn't fair, Kakashi." Naruto said. "He runs away now, of all times, and I… and I don't know what to do anymore."

"No one knows what to do," Kakashi replied, eye turning up to look at the rising moon. "It's part of growing up. One day, it'll all just click and you'll wonder where your youth went."

"It's all part of being a ninja, huh?"

"It's all part of being an adult. We jounin may be immature," Kakashi ignored Naruto's face of 'Oh, really?' and settled for smacking the boy's head, "but when we need to be, we'll act our ages."

Naruto just sighed, looking from his former mentor to the moon. The pale whiteness reflected what he felt at the moment and Naruto fought back the tears that threatened to fill his eyes. Sasuke was gone, gone and if he ever came back he was dead. He wasn't in the village, Naruto knew. He must be miles away. All of his belongings, whatever he had had on him, even the hitai-ate that had the scar crossing the Konoha leaf were still strung about Naruto's apartment. Naruto's eyes widened. Sasuke's old hitai-ate was still in the apartment. Sasuke had taken it off before they went to visit Iruka at the school, but he'd never leave that behind. There was too much sentimental value in that thing for him. So Sasuke had to still be in the village!

A wolf's howl rose to the sky, crescendo reached when the moon reached her zenith.

"That's odd," Kakashi said, wondrously. "There are no wolves here."

Naruto smiled just a bit, Kyuubi making him want to answer that call. "There's one. I think I know where Sasuke is, Kaka-sensei."

The silver haired jounin blinked and turned to the blonde, head tilting. "Where?"

"He went back to the beginning." Naruto grinned and bolted off the roof, not waiting for Kakashi to catch up. He ran through the streets, ducking into shadows and running along roofs, racing for a part of Konoha that had been abandoned for years. The Uchiha mansion loomed before him, carrying the same stench of blood and death it had in the few years after Itachi had vanished from Konoha, leaving Sasuke as the only one to carry the Uchiha name and prestige. It was as if the house had sucked in the malevolence left behind by those dead and bored it away in the wood and plaster, a final testament to the family that used to live here. Naruto stopped at the front door, chest rising and falling softly, hand reaching out to touch that thick wooden portal. The door swung open too easily.

Naruto entered the home he'd feared for most of his young life, closing the door behind him. He wanted to have a few moments alone with Sasuke before he had to take him back to the Hokage's tower for whatever punishment awaited him. He found Sasuke in the dojo, kneeling in the moonlight that filtered through the rice paper, the elder's head bowed in a sure sign of defeat.

"You know Tsunade had nearly the whole village looking for you." Naruto said to announce his presence. Sasuke didn't move.

"Really now?" Sasuke replied, his voice hollow in a way Naruto had never heard before, not even from the veteran jounin who presided over the training of the very freshest recruits. "And you? Panicked that your precious mission would be ruined with my disappearance?"

"That's why you ran away?" Naruto approached then, skittering back at a warning call from Kyuubi before Sasuke's kunai could have found his throat. Sasuke was on his feet then, his single dark eye shining with hurt, the kunai held out as meager protection. Naruto recognized the weapon as one of his own and his hand dropped to the pouch on his thigh. Yep. Missing one.

"I like to think of it as making a tactical retreat," Sasuke replied, looking away from the blonde, the kunai lowered to his side in a sign of defeat.

"Sasuke, listen. It started out as a mission, but, but I really do love you. It stopped being a mission when I saw you with your old hitai-ate. You were beautiful."

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Sasuke shouted. "You… I heard you! I heard you and Tsunade! Everything you've done, it was just part of a mission!"

"No!" Naruto ignored that kunai as he came forward, grabbing Sasuke close to him into a hug. "I really do love you, Sasuke. I meant it when I said it. I love you."

Naruto felt Sasuke's hands come around him in a hug, the brunette burying his face against Naruto's chest. He was trembling and it only made Naruto feel worse. So the crash had been Sasuke running and not the aim of a very talented squirrel. Sasuke had returned to Konoha to find peace and a new life, and he'd found it in the form of Naruto, the blonde realized. Then his slowly rebuilding world had come crashing cruelly down on his head with a few words. Naruto nuzzled Sasuke's neck as he held him tighter, drawing back only to press a kiss to Sasuke's lips.

"I love you, Uchiha Sasuke. I'm sorry I let it go as long as I did." Naruto whispered. "I'm sorry I never told you."

Sasuke shook his head, clutching to Naruto as he struggled to regain his composure. "Even if you had told me, it wouldn't have changed anything that's already happened. I would've still come here, you would've still followed me, and whatever happens after this will still happen. You didn't tell me that keeping me in your home was a mission for you and I haven't been completely honest with you, either… Naruto, Orochimaru, he-"

"Yes, do tell us what Orochimaru-sama has planned, Sasuke. I'd so –love– to hear what you have to say."

Naruto and Sasuke jerked apart, standing back to back to keep track of where the voice had come from. Neither of them expected to find their way out blocked by a line of bodies, each wearing a mask like that of an ANBU. Naruto snarled, recognizing the masked bodies.

"I'm glad you recognize us, Kyuubi-san," one mask said as he moved forward, revealing himself to the two surrounded. "I'm glad one of you does."

"What the hell do you want?" Naruto snarled, ready to lunge. Sasuke stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, the brunette stepping forward to face the masked one.

"It wasn't enough that we took you out before, was it?" Sasuke said, his moment of apparent weakness over, his head tilting with a little smile. "It just grated on your pride that a kid half your age destroyed your whole base at the word of the man you respect the most, didn't it?"

Naruto watched the mask hit the floor and shatter in two, electric blue widening to see the face behind it. Scars littered pale flesh, marring the face beyond recognition to those who hadn't seen him before. Kabuto stood before them, his face mutilated, his anger burning and his men ready for the kill. Sasuke stood in front of Naruto like a sentinel and Naruto moved to his side, smiling that hateful Kyuubi smile.

"Oh, god, Kabuto, the years have not been kind. Is that your face or a horses' ass?" Naruto asked a little too gleefully, for which Sasuke elbowed him lightly in the ribs. Kabuto clenched his fists, but soon relaxed, smiling.

"Joke all you want to now, Naruto. It a few minutes it won't matter anymore. The two of you will be dead and I'll rejoin Orochimaru-sama as I'm meant to."

"Good luck finding him then," Sasuke said. "I think I've misplaced him."

Kabuto glared at Sasuke, his hand raised in that signal the two jounin caught in the trap knew very well. It wasn't a very good sign. Sasuke shifted closer to Naruto as Naruto moved closer to Sasuke, closing their weak spots and compensating for one another. They knew it wasn't enough and they both knew they were dead when that hand fell.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered, "do you trust me?"

"What sort of question is that?" Naruto whispered back, pressing against Sasuke's back. The ANBU under Kabuto's control were moving forward, slowly, weapons drawn out for the kill. Naruto pressed against Sasuke, feeling his arms move, his hands quickly signing. The ANBU paused, Naruto turning to see what Sasuke was doing, just for a split second. Ice was forming on the wood floor, swirling before Sasuke in tiny flurries. Kyuubi was shivering in anticipation, looking through Naruto's eyes at the forming shape in the ice. Shiro Koori leapt out of the swirling snow, Sasuke smiling at the ANBU that closed in. They didn't have a chance in hell. Kyuubi shivered happily upon seeing his mate in body for the first time in nearly twenty years and Naruto shivered upon seeing Sasuke in a state he'd never seen him in before. Ice crystals had formed on that pale skin, his hair, his eyelashes, giving him an ethereal beauty. Kabuto seemed taken aback by Shiro Koori's sudden appearance, but it wasn't enough to stay his men.

"Kill them both! Kill them all!"

Shiro growled and lunged at the nearest ANBU operative, teeth sinking into skin, blood spurting from torn arteries. Naruto grinned and both he and Sasuke lunged, painting the Uchiha house again with blood. Kyuubi was howling, Shiro was calling, and Naruto and Sasuke began a dance of death, moving in tandem with their blades singing. They were winning, Naruto was grinning their victory, and then Shiro screamed in pain, echoed by Sasuke. Shiro vanished and Sasuke fell to his knees, clutching the red stain across his abdomen. Naruto was by his side, hand on his shoulder, fingers tightening in Sasuke's shirt. The remaining ANBU, there were only ten including Kabuto, surrounded the pair despite the malevolence that was coming from Naruto. The blonde's eyes were turning that pretty rust in his anger, Kyuubi's own hatred for Kabuto helping fuel Naruto's.

"I hope you've enjoyed your final moments of life," Kabuto snarled as he reached out for Sasuke's head, fingers snagging in dark hair and jerking. Naruto lashed out, dislodging Kabuto's hand from Sasuke's hair. The silver-haired man hissed as he drew back, clutching his now-broken fingers. Naruto only glared, pulling Sasuke more firmly against him.

"I promise you we'll survive." Naruto said lowly, listening to Sasuke's sluggish breathing as he looked for a way out of this predicament, of a way to escape. It was pointless; they were surrounded. Kabuto laughed, a cruel sound that made Naruto shiver.

"I'll see you to Hell, Naruto." Kabuto said, gesturing his men forward for the kill. "Leave nothing behind."

Naruto closed his eyes, waiting for the knives to find a home in his flesh. It was ten minutes – it could have been an hour – before he finally opened his eyes again. Sasuke was still and silent against him, watching Kabuto with a cold black eye. Naruto stared at his lover, trying to see what Sasuke was seeing. Kabuto turned to his men, mouth opening to spew threats. One by one, nine bodies fell, foaming at the mouth. Some bodies writhed as blood and shiny venom pulsed from tiny holes in the jugular vein, as though fighting a last ditch effort to keep living. Soon those bodies stilled and Sasuke just smiled, pressing against Naruto, his head against his shoulder. It was the scariest thing Naruto could think of in this situation. At first he thought Sasuke was just giving up, but when he saw Kabuto still, he knew something else was wrong. Kabuto was silent, his mouth working like a hooked fish, his limbs trembling as long pale fingers slid around his neck, sharp nails pressing ever so lovingly into the throbbing pulse in his neck. A dark head rose slowly over his shoulder, narrowed yellow eyes peering out at him from the darkness, a smile not meant for a human face spreading out beneath those cold yellow eyes.

"Sleep."

Those nails punctured that pulsing skin as easily as eggshells broke underfoot and Kabuto writhed in that vice-like hold. He tried to plead, but his voice wouldn't work. Orochimaru only pressed his nails in deeper, blood and venom oozing from beneath that grip. White foam slid from Kabuto's mouth as his body writhed, squirming in the last throes of life. Orochimaru let Kabuto drop just before the venom could travel as far as his heart and stepped around him, toward Sasuke and Naruto. The blonde pulled Sasuke back, eyes narrowed at the approaching man, but Sasuke's body went limp as the brunette fell into unconsciousness. Naruto struggled with the sudden weight, trying to back pedal away from Orochimaru, trying to keep Sasuke safe.

Orochimaru just kept moving forward until Naruto's back hit the wall, unable to go any farther. A kunai was a meager defense against the man and Naruto knew Orochimaru wouldn't be deterred from taking Sasuke back. Orochimaru reached for Naruto's face and he flinched, grudgingly letting Orochimaru close enough to touch Sasuke. Orochimaru only crouched in front of them, studying Naruto. He said nothing, did nothing, and finally Naruto lowered the kunai. It was the opening Orochimaru needed, for his hand shot out and tapped the blonde's forehead, a gentle touch. It was still enough to make Naruto lose consciousness, though he did not relinquish his hold on Sasuke. Now that he had him back, he'd never let Orochimaru take him away again. Sasuke belonged to him.


	15. Chapter 15

XV

Orochimaru was reclining on a flat rock when Sasuke woke, a book in his hands, yellow eyes listlessly following the lines of writing. The former Sannin looked up at the movement, watching Sasuke sit up and glance around as if to make sure he was all in one piece and Naruto was still nearby. The blonde slept still, on a pallet to Sasuke's left, and the darker boy relaxed. Orochimaru rose then, book dropped onto the pile of coals, making the dying flames arise anew, illuminating the cave that Orochimaru had brought them to.

"I don't know how he makes so much money writing such crap," Orochimaru said, staring as the flames devoured Icha Icha.

"You think you could do better?" Sasuke asked, watching as his former teacher moved toward those coals, crouching beside the flames, poking at the coals with a metal needle. Orochimaru snorted, canting his head toward the younger Uchiha.

"It's drivel. I have better things to spend my time on. Did you convince him?"

"I haven't told him."

"Well that's just peachy." Orochimaru set the needle down and rose to his full height, looking at the boy. "I was hoping to avoid speaking with Tsunade."

Sasuke sighed, looking at the elder apologetically. Orochimaru waved a hand in dismissal, moving to catch Sasuke's face in a tight hold. The elder looked at the scar across his face, studying it as he used to scrutinize every new recruit that happened upon Sound. Sasuke relaxed in that hold, closing his other eye. Naruto stirred.

"How has it been?" Naruto heard Orochimaru ask. Someone shifted to his side, and the blonde turned his head to see Sasuke sitting there, his back to Naruto, facing Orochimaru and the red-hot needle that the man held between his fingers.

"It stopped hurting a while ago. Is it ready?"

"Are you? It will be strange, looking at the world."

"Just do it."

Orochimaru nodded and approached Sasuke, taking the younger Uchiha's face in his empty hand and tilting it up, exposing the scarred eye to that needle. Naruto moved then, fearing for Sasuke, but the golden gaze stilled him.

"Do you want me to screw up, Naruto?"

"Relax, Naruto," Sasuke said. "I'll be fine."

"Fine? That guy gave you that scar in the first place!" Naruto shouted. "Sasuke!"

"Fine way to treat the guy who saved your ass," Orochimaru said dryly. "Just shut up and sit down, boy. And you, Sasuke, be quiet lest this needle miss."

Naruto fumed, watching that needle dip into the scar tissue covering Sasuke's eyelid, the smell of flesh burning hurting Naruto's nostrils. Slowly Orochimaru cut the needle through the scar tissue, stepping back to get a cloth, wiping blood away before pressing that cloth to the socket with the order to hold it there. Naruto watched as Orochimaru put the needle back into the fire, moving to the rear of the cave to get another cloth, this one rung out and switched with the bloody rag over Sasuke's eye.

"Hold that there. Naruto, come here." Orochimaru looked toward the blonde, eyes narrowing. "Come here. Now."

Swallowing, Naruto looked at Sasuke and moved forward only when the darker nodded, moving beside Orochimaru. The elder male handed him a bundle and bade him to take it over to Sasuke. Naruto did as told, setting the bundle beside the darker, watching the elder's face. Orochimaru moved over to the boys, opening that bundle to reveal a tiny jar. Elegant fingers opened the jar, revealing a clear salve, the jar lifted and set into Naruto's hands.

"Take only a bit," Orochimaru instructed, "and when Sasuke removes that cloth, spread it on his eye. It will stop the bleeding."

"Why should we trust you?" Naruto spat, though he did as instructed when Sasuke removed the cloth without a warning, the clear salve becoming pink as Naruto smeared it on his beloved's scarred eye.

"He needs us, Naruto. Look, I told you before, I haven't been completely honest with you." Sasuke said softly. Orochimaru took the moment to back away, standing in the shadows to watch his protégé and the boy who housed Kyuubi. Naruto was staring at Sasuke, expressionless, waiting.

"So tell me now." Naruto whispered, making Sasuke shiver.

"Everything I told you before, what I told Tsunade, the Council, even Ibiki, was true. Orochimaru let me go, he doesn't need me anymore. But he needs someone like I need you. We discovered that, when combined, Shiro and Kyuubi could do something that defies nature. Their powers create a phoenix effect." Sasuke said, looking down at his lap. "He wants to revive Kimimaru."

Naruto stared for a moment, Kyuubi oddly silent in his mind. Orochimaru had let Sasuke go, but with a price. In order for Sasuke to be free, he had to perform one last duty, one last task, and then he'd be left alone. Naruto looked at Sasuke, finally reaching to touch that closed eye, rubbing the salve as gently as he could. When he drew his hand back, he found himself staring into both of Sasuke's eyes, one that was pure black, and the other that was black and yellow. A wolf's eye.

"Orochimaru's payment."

Their backs collided, both standing as defensively as they could. Orochimaru hefted Kusunagi, the blade held toward the approaching ANBU. Sasuke was weakening; already he'd lost too much blood. The boy could barely stand, but still he had the strength to fight. Blood covered the left side of his face, his eye gone, his body pushed to its final limits. If Orochimaru couldn't figure a way out of this, his protégé wasn't going to survive. The fact they'd been caught in the first place boggled his mind. They'd been careful since re-entering Hi no Kuni, masking their presence and keeping to moving at night, when their stealth would benefit them most. Sasuke faltered, the ANBU sprung. Orochimaru cut several down in their leap, his free arm swinging to catch under Sasuke's arms, lifting the boy up as he darted through the arterial blood spray, disappearing into the night. They left Hi no Kuni quicker than when they entered it, Orochimaru finding one of his old haunts to inhabit. He dropped Sasuke rather unceremoniously on a pile of blankets, crouching to take stock of the damage done to his future vessel that had come to mean more than that to him. The boy was his protégé, the only one to know his secrets and to master them. Now he was ruined.

Orochimaru vented his anger on the objects around Sasuke, watching the boy curl up with a hand pressed to the grievous wound. Orochimaru knew Sasuke felt as though he had failed and he had. He'd failed horribly. There was no way now he could be useful. Orochimaru watched the boy for a long while before he moved over to him, hands set on the boy's shoulders. Sasuke looked up and then away. Orochimaru knew why. He'd given up everything and now everything he'd worked toward was nothing more than a dream. They spent a week healing and Orochimaru spent that week researching. He found a suitable candidate and the process began. Painstakingly, and with Sasuke conscious the whole time, Orochimaru transplanted a wolf's eye into the empty socket. His protégé was in immense pain, he knew, but Sasuke never screamed nor cried. Orochimaru wouldn't have pitied him if he had. The final step was to close the eyelid to let the healing take place.

Sasuke had left the moment he could move, Orochimaru tailing the boy on his way back. He'd let the boy go with the condition of performing one final act before Orochimaru disappeared from his life for good. Orochimaru needed to be sure his experiment worked, he needed to be sure Sasuke could take care of himself, and could be taken care of. So he let Sasuke go, let the boy pave the way, and followed.

"So Orochimaru wasn't the one who did this to you in the first place?" Naruto asked, studying the wolf's eye in Sasuke's head. The younger Uchiha gave a soft sigh.

"No. He gave me a second chance to be able to see. In return, I'd convince you to help me in resurrecting Kimimaru."

"I don't understand though," Naruto whispered after a few silent moments. "Tsunade's report said that whatever had happened to you had crushed the retina, destroyed the lens and cornea. Not just that but the report said the destroyed eye was still in the socket."

"A simple illusion," Sasuke replied. "The healing had to be done in secret. If Tsunade or any other medic noticed that the scar was just for aesthetic purposes, they'd have opened my eye before it was ready."

"So he basically gave you a wolf's eye to replace your own, and got scar tissue to grow over it to hide that fact, plus added a spell that would give anyone probing a false message?"

"In a nutshell, yeah." Sasuke answered, looking at his hands. "If the healing had been interrupted, I would be permanently blind in my left eye. The eye would have rotted in my skull and I'd be even more useless due to infection."

Naruto turned to look at Orochimaru, the man watching both of them, his face carefully neutral. Naruto couldn't understand why Orochimaru would help Sasuke, but the pieces of the puzzle were slowly starting to fall into place. He understood Orochimaru's feelings to a point, but he couldn't bring himself to trust the former Sannin as Sasuke did. Sasuke looked at the elder man, then back at Naruto, head tilting to the side. Naruto finally nodded, fingers running over Sasuke's cheeks. The blonde turned to Orochimaru, arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

"We'll help you. But we have to go back to Konoha. If we don't, the Council will kill Sasuke."

Orochimaru's lips curled into a snarl. "I never liked those old farts. Can you stand, Sasuke?"

The dark haired boy slid off the table, wobbling until Naruto supported him. He nodded and Orochimaru gestured for them to make their way out. The fire was doused and the three exited the cave, Orochimaru leading them toward the village. It wasn't as far as Naruto had thought they'd be originally, but it was slow going, with Sasuke wounded as he was. Still, it was just before sunrise when they entered Konoha, bee-lining for the Hokage's tower. Their easy passage was too good to be true. Naruto shifted Sasuke closer and looked toward Orochimaru. The former Sannin was slowly raising his hands in submission. Naruto looked up into Kakashi's eyes, the Sharingan whirling. Naruto recognized Neji and Rock Lee, Raidou and Genma, Might Gai, Anko, Kurenai, and many other jounin surrounding them. Their faces were grim, a herald of the pain that was going to be visited upon Orochimaru if not Sasuke as well. Kakashi moved forward then, reaching out for Sasuke, presumably to take him into custody. Everyone stilled when Naruto began to snarl, even Kakashi. Sasuke only clung to Naruto, looking up at the jounin around them, and then over at Orochimaru. He wasn't concerned with the jounin surrounding them, rather he was watching a rather voluptuous woman push her way through the ranks, Tsunade coming to stand before Orochimaru, hands on her hips.

"You'd better have a good explanation why you're here, in the company of two of my jounin, Orochimaru." Tsunade growled.


	16. Chapter 16

XVI

"No! I will not hand over Naruto and Sasuke to you!" Tsunade yelled, slamming her hands on her desk. Orochimaru stood in front of her sans chains, simply because Sasuke had managed to convince Kakashi of all people of the former Sannin's integrity. Sasuke was now in the care of Shizune and Sakura with Naruto acting like a vulture over a freshly killed deer.

"I'm not asking you to hand them over. I want to borrow them." Orochimaru replied.

"The answer is still no!"

Orochimaru stalked forward, ignoring the two ANBU guards that came forward to grab him. He slammed his hands down on Tsunade's desk, forcing her to look up at him. They had a staring contest for a good five minutes before Tsunade finally looked away. Orochimaru stepped back then, sighing.

"We haven't been on the best terms for a long time, Tsunade." Orochimaru began. "You don't have to believe me. Believe Sasuke then, if you have to believe someone. But look at it this way. Give me what I want, and I'll go away. Maybe I'll send you a birthday card or three."

Tsunade watched her former teammate, searching his eyes for a lie. She didn't trust him, she couldn't trust him, not with the lives of her jounin, with the lives of Naruto and Sasuke. Finally, Orochimaru reached into his sleeve, pulling out a satchel and tossing it on the Hokage's desk.

"Whether you like it or not, Sasuke has already agreed, and from what I have seen, Naruto will follow him into death." Orochimaru said softly. "Think of it as a commission, a contract. When I have what I want, you have what you want."

Tsunade looked at the bag of coins, knowing no amount of gold or silver could compare with what Orochimaru was asking for. She looked up at him, her lips a thin line.

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then at least I will know I have tried."

"The body will have completely decomposed by now."

Orochimaru smiled vainly. "The sands of a desert do wonders for preservation. Tsunade, please, you don't have to forgive me for what I have done. I regret nothing and I know you don't either. Just give me what I want and I'll go away. Naruto and Sasuke will be returned to you unharmed and you'll never hear from me again."

The Hokage was silent, thinking over her former teammate's words, watching his face. She stood before a forked path, one that could lead her to destruction and the other to prosperity, or they both could lead down the same dark road. She was at an impasse, for the Council called for Sasuke's blood and she wanted so desperately to protect him. Her eyes widened then, realizing a third option was open to her, as a way to give Orochimaru what he wanted and a way to save Sasuke.

"Very well. It will be a mission, payment already received. The selected jounin are Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. They are at your command until such time the mission is completed." Tsunade said as she reached for a mission form, filling everything out before handing it to Orochimaru to sign. "You've saved his life."

Orochimaru looked up at her, pen stilling after completing his signature. "Sasuke made me realize my errors. I've trained him well. He will be of much use to you."

Tsunade took the paper and the payment and locked them in a drawer of her desk, sitting back in her chair, watching her former teammate settle back, relaxed. She smiled then, nodding. Orochimaru bowed slightly, returning her smile, though his was a bit strained.

"He's fragile." Were the words Orochimaru left Tsunade with as he took his leave from her office and the Hokage turned to her window. She wouldn't see the trio leave, but she'd know of her jounins' return. She was taking a risk, handing over two of her most valuable ninja to a man that had been an enemy until recently. It would save Sasuke's life, for she could claim a temporary brain fart and say she forgot she'd sent the pair on a mission. Those loyal to her would add to the claim if the Council decided to press the issue and she wouldn't have to worry. Tsunade rubbed her forehead to try and alleviate her growing headache. She'd have to call Shizune up for some medicine soon. She didn't know how much more of this she could take.

Orochimaru didn't push the two younger men; after all, he'd been waiting for this moment for a few years, what were a few more days? They traveled light and as quickly as Orochimaru dared to push Sasuke and he didn't have to worry too much about the brunette young man, as Naruto was right there to say when enough was enough. The former Sannin knew that Naruto didn't trust him; he didn't have a reason too. The only reason he was here was because of Sasuke, despite the contract the two younger men were under. Orochimaru let the boys have their space, knowing they wouldn't wander far. He often watched them leave at dusk to return near dawn, exhausted and otherwise looking rumpled and sated. The snake-like man said nothing about it and kept on their pace, only half listening to the whispered words coming from the two younger men behind him. Orochimaru struck a fire up that night, their first in the week they'd set out, simply because their surroundings had become darker the further away they moved. He listened to the soft conversation and ached to have one of his own with one who was very much dead, but ready to be resurrected. Orochimaru closed his eyes and let the boys slip off into the dark, knowing they'd be back.

Sasuke led Naruto through the trees, pausing only to let the blonde catch up before he dropped to the ground into the cradle of tree roots, his mouth covered by Naruto's. He clutched the blonde's shoulders, pressing close as Naruto pressed him into the ground. When they broke apart, Naruto knelt between Sasuke's legs, smiling and watching him. Sasuke returned the smile, shifting to push himself up and watch the younger male. Another kiss and the two stood up, clutching hands as they walked into the clearing. They broke apart then and faced each other as if they were going to fight. Their hands came up, Sasuke's fingers going though seals slow enough for Naruto to follow, ice forming on the grass and Sasuke's body. Shiro Koori's form appeared before Sasuke, facing Naruto and watching, hoping.

They'd been at this for a week, ever since the first night. It was dangerous, they knew, to try to undo what the Yondaime had done and unseal Kyuubi, to let him back into the world. They had Kyuubi's word that he wouldn't cause any mischief and they had Shiro. Whether or not it was safe, Kyuubi needed to be out for the resurrection to work. So far, the seal had done what it had been meant to do and kept Kyuubi from emerging. But they were making progress, as little flames would begin to lick at the grasses at Naruto's feet and his eyes would turn rusty as he fought the seal branded on his stomach.

Sasuke dismissed Shiro before Naruto could strain himself too much, moving over to him and wrapping his arms around the blonde. Naruto's teeth sank into Sasuke's throat, drawing a soft moan from the darker. The blonde was in a frenzy then, nibbling and bruising Sasuke's throat and what available flesh there was, even his lips, hands busying themselves with trying to open Sasuke's pants, not even bothering with the brunette's shirt. That was only pushed up as Naruto bore Sasuke to the ground, the blonde's mouth bruising his skin again. Sasuke let Naruto manipulate his body, spreading his legs as Naruto forced his way between them. It was something that happened every time the pair did a little practicing, as though Kyuubi's rage at not being able to touch Shiro himself translated into lust on Naruto's part. Sasuke didn't care, figuring what little blood that was drawn was worth what they were struggling to accomplish, even if Naruto grew upset at the sight of red staining grass and cloth alike.

Sasuke let out a little moan as he felt pressure at his entrance, clinging onto Naruto as the blonde pushed into him, stretching him beyond capacity yet again, blood easing the way as the two created a rough rhythm, Naruto pounding Sasuke into the dirt and grass, bodies slick against one another. Sasuke was growing tighter and it took Naruto biting into his shoulder to get him over the edge, the darker giving a short cry as his seed created sticky ribbons between his stomach and Naruto's. The blonde tensed, slammed into Sasuke one more time, and let out a gasp as he lost himself to the sensations, his essence filling Sasuke. They lay together for a time, Naruto clutching onto Sasuke as they cooled down, pulling away only to lap at the blood drawn, making Sasuke squirm.

"We'll get it soon," Sasuke whispered as Naruto apologetically cleaned him up and helped him dress.

"You always say that."

"We will. We just have to keep trying. Flames, Naruto. You got flames this time."

Naruto just smirked and lifted Sasuke off his feet, cradling him close, bridal style. Sasuke shook his head and wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck, letting himself be carried back to the campsite. Naruto set the darker down on their chosen spot, curling around Sasuke and cradling him. Sasuke fell asleep against Naruto's shoulder, leaving the blonde and Orochimaru alone. Naruto studied the former Sannin for a while before closing his eyes, believing the man to be asleep as well.

"You should take care you don't hurt him too much," Orochimaru whispered. "He's fragile."

"I'm not going to leave him." Naruto replied venomously.

"That's not what I said." Orochimaru turned to look at Naruto, head tilted. "He's still healing."

"Oh." Naruto looked at Sasuke's face, petting the pale skin. Orochimaru shifted, rising and moving over to the younger pair. He crouched in front of Naruto and reached out to put his index finger to his forehead. Naruto shivered, watching that finger and then the man, Orochimaru's eyes meeting the electric blue of Naruto's.

"There's a block," Orochimaru whispered. "Yondaime did the spell well. Next time you practice, synchronize your chakra and Kyuubi's. Make a key."

Orochimaru moved away then, back to his spot, arms folding around his chest as he settled to sleep, leaving Naruto much more confused than before.


	17. Chapter 17

XVII

The sun was just rising over the desert when they approached, Sasuke and Orochimaru halting just before the sand. Naruto stopped just beside the elder males, blinking in confusion at the sudden stop.

"What's the matter?" he asked, blinking when Orochimaru knelt down, hands pressed together in a prayer fashion. Sasuke followed suit, urging Naruto down and to assume the same position. Naruto only looked confused.

"It's a holy place, Naruto," Orochimaru said finally as the three rose to walk into the desert and the bone forest that grew there, the stark white of the calcium wrapped in lush green vines with tiny white flowers in full bloom.

Naruto looked at Sasuke who shrugged and gestured for him to follow, the blonde a step behind Sasuke as they followed Orochimaru through the maze of bone. Vines concealed the paths, but Naruto could see that someone had been through before as there were flower blossoms littering the sandy floor. They were silent as they walked, as though not to disturb the calm tranquility of the place. He watched the bones grow thicker as they moved closer to the center of the white forest, swallowing a little as he looked toward Sasuke.

"Kimimaru is buried in the center. We don't know how deep, though." Sasuke said.

"So how is the resurrection going to work?"

"I'm going to ask Manda to dig up Kimimaru's body," Orochimaru replied. He looked toward the younger boys, head tilting. Sasuke watched Orochimaru and pulled Naruto back when the former Sannin gestured for them to move, in order to give Manda room when he appeared. Orochimaru shifted then, hands forming seals, a little bit of blood, and he was calling the large snake, Manda appearing before them in a coil, looking mightily irritated. His head raised and lowered, swung side to side as if looking for something.

– No sacrifice this time? – Manda asked, sounding mightily annoyed. Orochimaru stared up at the mighty summon, Manda lowering his head down to Orochimaru's level to stare into matching yellow eyes.

"No." Orochimaru replied. "Not this time. There's something I'd like you to do for us."

Manda twisted to stare at Sasuke and Naruto, forked tongue flicking out to taste the air briefly, chuckling when Naruto visibly fought back a flinch. Sasuke stood still, eye blazing with the Sharingan, and Manda had to applaud the boy for the show of strength.

– I want some form of payment. – Manda said, turning his gaze back to Orochimaru. The former Sannin tensed, fighting to keep the panic from his face.

"And what would you want?"

Manda's attention turned then to Sasuke, tongue flicking out again to taste the air. – I want a pact with him. –

Orochimaru looked floored at the request, but then Manda had always confused him, never really knowing what the large snake summon wanted. Orochimaru looked toward Sasuke, not quite pleading with him. Sasuke looked up at Manda for a moment and remained silent, looking over at Naruto then. The two stared at each other for a long while before Sasuke finally nodded. Orochimaru relaxed then, nodding, and Manda shifted his weight to begin to burrow beneath the sands, disappearing for a few moments before reappearing, jaws tightly clamped around something. Orochimaru lifted his arms then, waiting, and Manda let his jaws open, a body sliding out between sharp fangs into the former Sannin's waiting arms. Kimimaru's body was hardly touched by decomposers, flesh only dried out from the excessive heat and dryness of the sand. Mummified, almost, pale skin drawn back across bones, eyelids sunken into the sockets, a macabre feigned sleep. Manda's attention turned to Sasuke then, lowering his head to the boy's level, waiting for Orochimaru to approach with the sealing scroll. The snake's yellow eyes were alight with pleasure when Sasuke took the scroll from his former sensei and opened it under Naruto's watchful gaze.

– Your arm, just like Orochimaru's. – Manda said, making Sasuke pause in biting his thumb to obtain the blood for the pact. – Cut your wrist, –

Sasuke blinked, staring up at the massive snake summon before turning his attention to his wrist. Slowly, Naruto offered a kunai, Sasuke's fingers wrapping around the hilt ever so reverently, the blade drawn across the veins in the wrist so quickly Manda thought the cut hadn't even been made. Then wonderful ruby blood began to well, Sasuke quickly dipping his fingers to sign his name, Manda watching the pact become complete. Naruto was quick then to bind the wound on Sasuke's wrist, wrapping it tight to stay the blood flow.

"Pleased now, Manda?" Orochimaru asked softly, cradling the mummified body of Kimimaru closer to his chest. Manda turned to Orochimaru and nodded, giving what constituted as a smile for the large serpent.

– We'll be in touch, – Manda replied, coiling again as if to strike, making the three nin beneath him tense until the snake faded into nonexistence, leaving Naruto, Sasuke, and Orochimaru alone. Orochimaru turned to the younger ninja then, head tilting to indicated the body in his arms. Sasuke and Naruto exchanged glances, each nodding after a while, turning back to Orochimaru.

"Here, then?" Naruto asked, gesturing to the forest of bone and sand. Orochimaru nodded, kneeling down to set Kimimaru's body on the sand, stepping back to allow the boys to do their part. Naruto was nervous despite the reassurances being given him by Sasuke. If he couldn't summon Kyuubi before, could he now? He let out a breath. Just relax, do your best. It wasn't like Orochimaru would be expecting him and Sasuke to pull off the resurrection first go.

His electric blue gaze found Sasuke's black and yellow one, the brunette giving him a gentle smile, taking a position at Kimimaru's feet as Naruto assumed much the same before Kimimaru's head. Naruto swallowed and followed Sasuke through the motions of the seals, watching ice form on Sasuke's body as Shiro Koori appeared before him, calmly standing, waiting. Naruto watched his lover, straining against the seal Yondaime had performed on him, struggling to free Kyuubi in much the same way as Sasuke freed Shiro Koori. Flames licked at the ground beneath his feet. He could feel the seal breaking. It wasn't supposed to break!

Naruto broke the seals with a frustrated growl, the flames dying. He looked back at Sasuke, watching the brunette watch him, those eyes centered on his face. He couldn't give up. Sasuke was counting on him.

– Oi, Kyuubi. – Naruto said, standing before that cage in his mind, watching the nine-tailed demon as he watched the young man.

– A key, – Kyuubi replied, reminding Naruto of Orochimaru's words from the night before. Naruto's eyes widened. A key. A seal was just a big lock, right? In order to unlock it, a key was needed. Naruto came back to himself then, staring across at Sasuke, who stood alone now, Orochimaru off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, hands gripping his upper arms in an effort not to show his disappointment.

"A key," Naruto whispered and Sasuke cocked his head as though he had heard the words. Naruto only smiled and brought his hands to position again, Sasuke doing the same. As one, they performed the seals, as one their chakra resonated, Sasuke's with Shiro's, and finally, Naruto's with Kyuubi's. Shiro's form appeared amidst a swirl of snow and ice, the wolf standing as he and his vessel watched the flames of Kyuubi engulf Naruto. The blonde watched in amazement as before him, the flames swirled into one huge fireball, the fire spitting out in a thick ring as Kyuubi appeared, nine tails curling over his back and around his hind legs, his golden gaze directed at Shiro. Naruto watched, almost expecting Kyuubi to start a rampage, but his seal hadn't broken. Kyuubi was under his control still, Naruto could feel it.

– Naruto! – Sasuke called, the blonde jerking his rusty gaze over to the deep black of Sasuke's. The blonde gave a smile and a nod, both turning to their respective biju. Kyuubi moved forward as Shiro did, Shiro dropping his head down to Kimimaru's feet as Kyuubi bent his own muzzle to Kimimaru's hair. As the wolf breathed a cloud of ice, the fox breathed a jet of flame, the two elements meeting over the body of the bone manipulator. The ice and fire met in a flash of orange and blue light, the combined elements swirling over Kimimaru's body as it convalesced, enveloping the body as the light became a deep, dark, bloody red.

Shiro threw his head back and howled then, Kyuubi following with a sound of his own, Sasuke and Naruto struggling to keep their chakras synchronized with their biju, to give them power to complete this rebirth. The bloody red chakra swirled down into nothingness when their howls died down, Shiro and Kyuubi exhausted as they stood before their vessels, Sasuke and Naruto slowly releasing the seals and their chakra to allow the wolf and fox to rest, Shiro giving a wolfish smile to Kyuubi before he vanished a swirl of white, the fox heaving a sigh as he returned to his cage in Naruto's mind. Orochimaru moved then, kneeling beside Kimimaru's body. Sasuke moved forward as Naruto did, staring, watching, waiting.

Kimimaru breathed.

Orochimaru let out a sigh of relief, staring up at his former apprentice and giving him a grateful smile. Sasuke could only lean on Naruto and smile back, shifting his weight as Naruto leaned on him. Kimimaru's eyes opened, the young man blinking in confusion, whispering something only Orochimaru heard, the elder man's head dropping to be level with the paler's ear, whispering soft words to him. Orochimaru stood then, Kimimaru cradled in his arms, bridal style, his yellow gaze falling on Sasuke and Naruto.

"Mission completed," Orochimaru whispered, inclining his head toward Sasuke. Sasuke repeated the gesture, allowing their bond to finally be broken. Naruto and Sasuke watched the pair vanish, Naruto moving to tilt Sasuke's head up, claiming a kiss.

"Let's go home, ne, Sasuke-teme?"

Sasuke smiled. "Yeah. Let's go home, Usuratonkatchi."


	18. Chapter 18

XVIII

Naruto watched Sasuke leap up into the air, body twisting in the air, a full spiral before the brunette began to fall toward the earth again, kunai flashing toward what would be their dinner tonight. The rabbit didn't have a chance. Naruto was on his way to collect the poor creature before Sasuke touched down, the brunette slipping up to his side and crouching down, watching the blonde clean their dinner. They camped where the rabbit fell, a low fire cooking the meat as Naruto and Sasuke practiced, never far from the fire just in case. Naruto drew Sasuke close to him as dusk fell and the meat was ready, Naruto leaning up against the trunk of a tree with Sasuke between his legs, back to chest, both chewing on the cooked strips of meat as they whispered to one another. Naruto had gotten better at summoning Kyuubi, the two in near perfect unison so now when Naruto borrowed Kyuubi's strength, his physical change was more controlled and he kept his sanity as he changed. Sasuke in turn opened up more to him, beyond what Naruto already knew, the brunette leaning back against his lover as they let the fire die around them.

Naruto shifted against Sasuke, tilting the brunette's head back to steal a kiss, another, and another, until Sasuke had twisted in Naruto's hold, their bodies pressed flush against another, their mouths hot as they came together again and again, Naruto shifting to get Sasuke into his lap, the two moving together in a grind, Sasuke's head going back as Naruto bit at his throat, marking the pale column as his own. Naruto purred in response to Sasuke's quiet moan, the blonde's hands moving to remove Sasuke's flak jacket, the material slipping from Sasuke's shoulders and tossed aside, Naruto's hands moving beneath the black undershirt and the mesh shirt beneath, fingernails scratching at hidden skin, fingertips finding Sasuke's nipples and teasing them into raising, Sasuke arching back with a soft moan.

Naruto thought it was the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. His hands slid from Sasuke's chest as the brunette struggled with his own flak jacket, the material merely opened enough for Sasuke to get at the flesh beneath, mouth hot and wet on Naruto's skin, breaking blood vessels in an effort to mark the blonde.

Naruto pulled Sasuke closer, his hips arching up into his lover's, his hands moving to Sasuke's pants, working them open and down enough to get one leg off, baring Sasuke to him. Naruto purred, an echo of Kyuubi's, and Sasuke blushed, unable to keep from doing so as Naruto's hand wrapped around his erection, leisurely stroking as Sasuke writhed on top of him, gasping softly.

"You're beautiful, you know," Naruto whispered as he shifted, allowing Sasuke to open his pants, gripping his own need, the two stroking each other in the growing dark, their only light the fire and the growing moonlight. It was almost romantic.

Sasuke snorted quietly, continuing to stroke Naruto's need until the blonde was growling. Naruto shifted and let Sasuke fall beneath him, fighting to get the brunette completely naked beneath him, Naruto struggling to get his lower half unclothed as his fingers slid from Sasuke's penis down between his legs to the tight pucker Naruto had begun to violate on a regular basis, his fingers pressing past the tight muscle to delve deep within his lover, scissoring those digits to loosen Sasuke for him. Sasuke only arched and clutched to his shoulders, legs spreading wide for his lover to have a better reach as they moved. Naruto bit into Sasuke's shoulder, purring as he pulled his fingers from Sasuke's passage, the blonde pressing his erection against that loosened muscle and pushing in.

Sasuke let out a soft moan as he wrapped his legs around Naruto's waist, drawing the blonde in deeper and arching up to start the rhythm, their lovemaking slow and sensual for the first few moments of movement, Naruto tasting Sasuke's skin as Sasuke made wonderful sounds for him, the two moving together in perfect harmony. Then Naruto rolled them, his hands on Sasuke's hips as he brought the brunette down on his length harder and harder, Sasuke riding him and panting, growing ever tighter around Naruto as the blond thrust up as hard as he could into his beloved.

Finally, Sasuke's body tensed above Naruto, the brunette leaning forward with a soft cry, his body shivering with orgasm as pearlescent seed became ribbons on Naruto's collar. Naruto wasn't too far behind the brunette, the blonde thrusting up into his lover one last time before filling the elder with his own passion, relaxing beneath Sasuke in the afterglow.

Eventually, about the time the fire had become naught but glowing embers in the dark, Sasuke shifted to let Naruto slide out of him, moving to dress yet again and find the warmth of Naruto's arms, the blonde leaning against the tree trunk yet again, sated and ready to sleep. Sasuke nuzzled his shoulder and curled against him, sighing softly.

"I love you, Naruto," Sasuke whispered, giving a wide yawn as Naruto wrapped his arms around him, the blonde giving a kiss to the brunette's cheek.

"Love you, too." Naruto replied. "Go to sleep."

Sasuke gave a soft snort and snuggled closer to Naruto, finally closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax, Naruto's hold and warmth comforting him enough to lower his guard and fall into a deep sleep. Naruto wasn't too far behind him in that aspect, though he kept on his guard, sleeping lightly just in case. He didn't have a reason to worry though, as everything was over and done with, and they were on their way home. After all, who attacked on a home voyage?

Naruto would kick himself later, waking to find a kunai penetrating Sasuke's back, the brunette using his own body as a shield to protect Naruto's. The elder could only cough, blood flecking onto Naruto's chest as the brunette slumped. Hissing, Naruto eased Sasuke off him and watched as the brunette twisted to get the weapon out of him, his flak jacket shrugged on as the wound was left to bleed. Sasuke gave the blonde a pointed stare.

"I'll let you tend to it after, just move!"

The two bounded away, separating and coming back together, moving as fast as they could. They were being hunted. Neither of them liked that feeling. Sasuke paused on a branch, crouching there as Naruto came to a stand still beside him, their eyes gazing into the dark. Naruto could feel a flux in chakra and instinctively knew Sasuke had activated the Sharingan, that lone orb gazing for signs of enemies. Naruto turned his attention to the dark, watching Sasuke's back as much as Sasuke was watching his. Sasuke tapped his shoulder after a moment and he and Naruto leapt from the branch, moving quickly to keep their pursuit at bay.

They skidded into a clearing, Sasuke crouching down, pulling Naruto down with him as kunai flashed overhead, shearing the air where the blonde's head once was. They moved along on their hands and knees, taking cover amidst roots of an old tree, both crouching down to keep from being seen. Naruto sat with his back against the root and craned his neck to peer behind them, lips curling in a soft snarl as he settled back down against Sasuke. The brunette wasn't paying attention to Naruto's movements, rather, he was watching the shadows around them, seeing things Naruto couldn't. The brunette shifted and rolled over the root they were hiding against, Naruto following soon after, the pair peeking over the top, watching the dawn rays of the sun illuminate the branches of the forest, illuminating the clearing the pair waited in.

Sasuke shifted, his hand falling on Naruto's shoulder, the pair slowly moving from their hiding place into the clearing, Naruto just in front of Sasuke as though he were a shield, Sasuke at his back and moving in synch with the blonde, soon both standing side by side. Sasuke looked from Naruto then to the shadows around them, Naruto turning his attention to Sasuke only briefly before he scented it, that horrible decaying smell. He let out a barking laugh then, hands moving to his hips as Sasuke's head tilted, eyes widening in almost surprise.

"Don't you know when to die, Kabuto?" Naruto asked nastily, Sasuke's eyes narrowing when he spotted the depraved man stalking toward them, a knife gleaming in his fist. His skin was yellow, as though he'd been afflicted with jaundice, his throat bloodied where Orochimaru's nails had pierced the skin, pearlescent venom still staining the pale stretch. The silver-haired man's movements were jerky, uncoordinated and dried spit covered the corners of his mouth.

"Where are they?" Kabuto rasped out, approaching the two ninja who dared not move, whether for their own safety or the fact both were incredibly amused at the former Oto ninja's persistence.

Sasuke sidestepped a swipe from Kabuto's knife, distancing himself from the silver-haired man and Naruto. "I don't know. And even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you."

Kabuto let out a strangled yell as he made a swipe at Sasuke again, missing Sasuke's throat by five sickeningly wide inches. Sasuke managed to dance back, no longer underestimating the elder man.

"Orochimaru-sama is meant to be with me!" Kabuto raved, swinging the knife back and forth at Naruto and Sasuke, moving faster than either of the Konoha ninja had given him credit for, the two separating to keep from being one target.

"Orochimaru-sama knows an idiot when he sees one." Sasuke said, growing tired of the silver-haired man's rant. He glanced toward Naruto, the blonde shifting as Kabuto gave a strangled yell, the knife chucked straight at Sasuke's head. The brunette blocked the blade with his hand, earning a cut but otherwise keeping his guard intact. Naruto winced, listening to the grating noises Kabuto was making, wondering how anyone's throat could make a sound like that. Kabuto was going absolutely mad, words escaping his mouth without any knowledge of what was being said. Naruto stepped up beside Sasuke, watching his lover's hand bleed as that wolf's eye and the Sharingan stared at Kabuto.

It wasn't pity that had Sasuke channeling chakra into his palm, his hand beginning to glow with the beginning of the Chidori Nagashi.

Naruto looked at the brunette as the electricity of the jutsu began to climb up Sasuke's arm, slowly wrapping around his shoulder. Sasuke's eyes slid over to Naruto, the blonde slowly nodding in a glimmer of understanding. Naruto shifted away from Sasuke's body, his hand raising above his head, chakra collecting in his palm, wind combining with the energy, spinning roughly on his palm as the edges of the sphere began to spread, forming a shuriken. As soon as that was complete, Sasuke bolted forward without warning, Naruto only a split second behind him, their free hands clasping as they reached Kabuto, the Chidori Nagashi and the Fuuton: Rasenshuriken flashing forward at the same time, the electricity and wind combining against Kabuto's chest with more force than Kyuubi's own fury that nearly destroyed Konoha all those years ago.

Kabuto's back exploded outward, bone and flesh and blood splattering against the grass and trees as the energy dissipated through the silver-haired man's body. The corpse flew from the clearing into the forest, hitting the thick trunk of a tree and snapping what was left before it fell like a rag doll to the earth below. The pair stood, hands clasped tight, knuckles white, before Sasuke turned to Naruto, leaning heavily against the blonde, head tucked beneath Naruto's chin.

"Can we go home now, Usuratonkatchi?"

Naruto finally laughed. "Yeah. Let's go home, Sasuke-teme."


	19. Chapter 19

XVIX

Naruto stood watching Sasuke as the brunette adjusted his new flak jacket, his hands smoothing over the different pockets, hidden weaponry fitted into the reinforced cloth just in case. Sasuke's hands slid up over his neck, over his cheeks, to his forehead, where a shiny new hitai-ate sat, gleaming proudly in the morning light. The brunette finally turned to Naruto, giving the blonde an almost nervous smile, moving over to collect his satchel. Naruto could only grin as he followed his lover from their new apartment, the pair moving from their building to another one, Sasuke giving one last look to Naruto as they stepped onto the grounds, the blonde moving to stand with the other jounin as Sasuke moved to stand beside Iruka. Naruto watched Sasuke's head tilt toward Iruka's, their lips moving in low discussion. Naruto and Kakashi could only fathom what the two were talking about.

Then the students started filing into the yard, the next generation of Konoha and those who didn't quite make it genin rank. Naruto watched the teachers file into the school building with the students for orientation, the jounin slowly dispersing with each passing moment. Kakashi could only smile at Naruto as he put his hand on the younger man's shoulder, leading him from the schoolyard if only to give the blonde something to occupy himself with.

"He'll be okay, right, Kaka-sensei?" Naruto asked as he and his former sensei sat in Ichiraku and slurped at bowls of ramen.

"It's Sasuke, Naruto. If he can handle you and me, I think he can handle a bunch of ten year olds."

Naruto looked up and toward the school, smiling. "Hope you're right, Kaka-sensei."

But Naruto couldn't be satisfied just with words. Eventually he sauntered over to the school and leapt up into the trees surrounding the building, looking for the room that Sasuke had been given. He found it and made a perch on the branch of the tree, watching the brunette in the classroom. Sasuke looked amazing standing before his class, nearly regal in his new flak jacket and hitai-ate, body accented and hidden with the standard black shirt and pants that most ninja wore. He was gesturing toward a few students, mouth moving in words Naruto couldn't understand but from the book Naruto figured it was a history lesson. The children were leaning forward attentively, watching Sasuke pace back and forth across the floor, finally closing the book and giving a lecture without the book. Then the bell rang, the children filing out with the speed of kids who wanted to be at lunch and recess instead of sitting in class. Sasuke moved to the window then, opening the portal to lean out, looking up at Naruto.

The blonde smiled a greeting. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. I think I can handle this by myself, Naruto. I'm a big boy."

Naruto laughed. "I know. Just, well, I know Kakashi's bothering Iruka right now."

"Like sensei, like apprentice." Sasuke replied with a smile. Naruto leapt from the branch to the sill, crouching there and watching Sasuke. The brunette canted his head to look at the blonde, giving him a smile.

"Hey," Naruto said, after a moment, "You think… if everything had gone differently, we'd still be here, right here, like this?"

"Even if I hadn't defected, even if we hadn't gone through all the shit we've been through," Sasuke replied, his voice soft, "I think we'd still be here. But I believe, because of all the crap we've gone through, we've become better people, stronger, for it."

Naruto canted his head and smiled, shifting to enter the classroom as Sasuke drew back. The pair stood there, alone in that room, their eyes moving to the open window and the sky beyond. It seemed ages ago that they stood here like this as children, watching that same sky, watching those same clouds, those same birds, move away year after year, and always come back. They watched that sky and looked back at each other, smiling.

"Let's go join Iruka-sensei and Kaka-sensei for lunch, huh?" Naruto asked his lover with a grin. Sasuke nodded and took Naruto's hand into his own.

"Yeah,"

And suddenly that sky, the same sky that seemed so impossible to reach, seemed just a bit closer, as if Naruto and Sasuke had only to reach out their joined hands to catch it.

~Owari~


End file.
